CONSTRUCTION PLASTICS RECYCLING SCHEME
! e t s a w e No mor
PVC PIPE OFFCUTS RECYCLED INTO NEW PIPES PLUMBING INDUSTRY LAUNCHES PVC RECYCLING SCHEME CONTRIBUTING TO A RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. Plastic pipes have transformed the way we live. In Australia the majority of PVC resin imported into Australia is used in the manufacture of PVC pipes and fittings, so it’s no secret that it plays an important role in many industries, most notably, plumbing. The key to a circular economy is designing products to last. One of the common plastics used for pipe production is PVC. Thanks to its durability and long service life, typically more than 100 years, this material is found on all building sites today. Although most of the PVC goes into the buildings, there can be offcuts that can be reused and reprocessed into new PVC pipe. As society moves towards a more sustainable future, the plumbing industry is becoming more aware of the role it can play in diverting offcuts of plastic pipes from landfill, increasing the levels of post-consumer recycling (PCR), contributing to a circular economy.
Construction Plastics Recycling Scheme To understand the volume of available PVC pipe offcuts and fittings from construction sites, Master Plumbers’ Association Queensland (MPAQ) and Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia (PIPA), in conjunction with Vinidex, Iplex, Tradelink, and Reece, have joined forces to launch a PVC recycling scheme pilot as part of their environmental commitments. The Queensland Government has provided funding support to ensure the delivery of the Construction Plastics Recycling Scheme.
How Will the Scheme Work? Working collaboratively with industry over a six-month period, collection bins will be located on multiple sites, providing alternative outlets for PVC offcuts to be discarded. The offcuts collected in these bins over this period will be audited and data recorded. The bins will be located on the following sites: • Brisbane Queens Wharf Development (Towers 1 and 2) • Gold Coast Star Casino Development • Woolloongabba Tradelink Store • Labrador Reece Plumbing Store • Beenleigh Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre • Prominence Outlook Pallara • Caboolture Hospital The scheme also aims to educate and change behaviours when it comes to the disposal of PVC offcuts, working collaboratively with the broader industry to provide easy and accessible drop off points, helping to divert waste from landfill, which can be recycled into a new long-life recyclable pipe product.
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| MASTER PLUMBER MAGAZINE Summer 2021
Did You Know Plastic Pipes and Fittings Are Different to Single Use Plastics? Unlike single-use plastics, plastic pipes do not end up as pollution in our waterways or oceans. They are engineered products that are recyclable and designed to last, with minimal waste ending up in landfill. Plastic pipes do not biodegrade or corrode and generally their properties remain stable in the long term. These properties are ideal for a product such as pipes, as a longlife expectancy is required.
What Can Be Recycled? The most common plastics used for pipe production are PVC, polyethylene, and polypropylene, which are all thermoplastics. In simple terms, this means they can be cut up, remelted, and reformed into another shape or product, allowing them to be easily reprocessed and recycled. The Construction Plastics Recycling Scheme focuses on PVC. PVC non pressure and pressure pipes and fittings are 100% recyclable and like the other plastic materials noted above can be reprocessed and manufactured into new pipe.
• PVC non-pressure and pressure clean offcuts* • PVC non-pressure and pressure clean fittings* Note: Solvent cement on pipe and fittings is OK * This includes PVC-U, PVC-M and PVC-O
• Rubber rings • Mud and stones • Marking tape/ strapping • Screws or Nails • Fibreglass wrapped fittings • General waste • Other pipe materials* Note: Heavily soiled product cannot be accepted due to Health Regulations *Polypropylene (Traps), Hot and Cold Systems (PEX, PB) Gas Systems (PEX, Composites), Polyethylene pipes and fittings
PVC Plastic Pipes Are Safe for People and the Planet The health and environmental concerns sometimes associated with PVC are simply not applicable to Australian pipe products, with the specifications
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