Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia executive general manager Cindy Bray spoke to Trenchless Australasia about the role plastic pipes play in the sector.
Plastic pipes have transformed the way we live, delivering essential services and utilities to homes and communities.
With an increased focus on reducing environmental footprint and transitioning from a lineal to a circular economy, plastic is increasingly becoming the material of choice when it comes to upgrading and replacing pipes throughout the world.
Aligning with the principles that underpin a circular economy, plastic pipes are designed to minimise waste and pollution and to be kept in use for a long time, and can be repaired and recycled. They also protect the environment and regenerate natural systems, which is one of the advantages of trenchless installations.
“One of the important features of plastic pipes is their design life – they are intended and designed to last a very long time” Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia (PIPA) Executive General Manager Cindy Bray said.
“In typical environmental conditions, plastics materials are well known to last for a very long time, in excess of 100 years remaining functional, without requiring excess maintenance or repair when used and installed correctly in normal operation over its design lifetime.”
The material used in these pipes is engineered to be robust, reliable and recyclable. The pipes themselves are produced very efficiently in clean production plants with low emissions, with lower embodied energy reusing any of the waste generated back into pipe production.
For non-pressure pipe applications, suitable post-consumer and pre-consumer material can be used. This is governed by Australian Product Standards to specify what material can be used to manufacture pipes for different applications.
Pipes manufactured with recycled content must conform to the relevant Australian Product Standards, just as pipes manufactured from virgin materials do. Plastic pipes must be fit for purpose, regardless of their composition.
“Keeping products and material in use is critical for a circular economy” Bray said.
“Plastic pipes are the preferred material of choice to replace and upgrade pipes throughout the world. This is due to their performance, durability, service life, simplicity of installation, energy efficiency, recyclability and cost-effectiveness.”
In recent years, the water industry has also embraced polyethylene (PE), particularly when trenchless installation techniques like directional drilling, pipe cracking, slip and swagelining have led to increased usage in water and wastewater applications.
These results in fewer disruptions during installation or repair of existing pipelines, allowing flexibility and cost-effective installation without the need to excavate trenches, in turn lowering the impact to the environment and the community.
“Plastic pipes used in buried infrastructure applications like water will likely never be dug up, even at the end of their long service life,” Bray said.
“Instead, they will likely become a host for a new plastic pipe through trenchless installation, saving huge amounts of energy and resources, significantly reducing the impact to the environment.”
Using plastic pipe systems in trenchless applications minimises the environmental footprint and is the best choice for digging under creeks, rivers, and other sensitive areas.
The importance of welding and installation
In order to ensure the long service life critical for infrastructure and the circular economy, plastic pipes need to be correctly welded and installed in addition to conforming with the relevant Australian Standards.
To emphasise this importance, PIPA recently published a revision of its technical guidelines, ‘POP003: Butt Fusion Jointing of PE Pipes and Fittings – Recommended Parameters and Practices’.
The first section of the document discusses the recommended parameters and jointing procedures as specified in ‘ISO 21307 Plastic pipes and fittings – Butt Fusion Jointing Procedures for Polyethylene (PE) Pipes and Fittings Used in Construction of Gas and Water Distribution Systems’.
This includes the consideration required for the materials and components used, fusion jointing procedure and equipment, and the quality assessment of the completed joint.
The second section focuses on best practice for butt fusion jointing.
This section provides guidance by identifying the key aspects that should be considered when butt fusing PE pipe and fittings including equipment, operator competence, quality assurance plan, transport, handling and storage, pre-welding inspection, pre-qualification and pilot welds, fusion parameters, site records, testing and other factors.
“In this new revision of POP003, not only are we providing end users recommended parameters and practices when it comes to butt welding, we have also provided some guidance for procurement and asset owners, highlighting the importance of the competency level of the welder for critical assets,” Bray said.
“It’s important for all welding supervisors and operators to be qualified and regularly recertified by a suitable registered training organisation. This can be assisted by specifying minimum competency level requirements in quotes and tenders.”
The new version of POP003 can be found in the technical section of the PIPA website.
There are many environmental benefits of using plastic pipe systems in trenchless installation methods, and their design and installation is critical to keeping them in use for their long life.
“By using resources responsibly through better design, we’re working smarter,” Bray said.
“We’re committed and we’re working towards creating a healthier environment and sustainable future.”
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