A group of European experts under the leadership of Professor Dietrich Stein of Germany´s Ruhr University in Bochum; www.uv.ruhr-uni-bochum.de) has completed a study dealing with the ecological sustainability of municipal sewage systems. The results unveiled by the German plastic pipe industry association Kunststoffrohrverband (KRV, Bonn; www.krv.de) at a conference in November 2005 showed plastic pipes to be more durable than pipes made of other materials.

The group examined and evaluated video reports of inspections carried out on municipal sewage systems in Germany, Sweden and The Netherlands. A comparison showed that plastic systems have a damage potential of just 15% that of rigid systems made of concrete, reinforced concrete or vitrified clay. The study concluded that the prime reason for the excellent performance of the plastic sewage systems was the flexibility and elasticity of the pipes, a finding that the experts said was confirmed by many years of experience with municipal drinking water and gas grids.

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“European study of the performance of various pipe systems, respectively pipe materials for municipal sewage systems under special consideration of the ecological range of effects during the service life” as PDF-Dokument (2.311 KB)