South Africa: PVC pipes metal free by 2015

JOHANNESBURG – The South African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA) has welcomed the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) announcement that all PVC pipes manufactured in South Africa have to be free of heavy metals by July 2015.

The technical committee of the SABS Standard Division had earlier amended series of standards to ensure that all heavy metal stabilisers are removed in the manufacturing of PVC Pipes. In a statement, SABS said local PVC pipe manufacturers who are SABS-certified have been granted a window period to comply with the new relevant standard requirements. Pipes bearing the SABS mark of quality would have to be resubmitted for testing, after which new permits will be issued.

Commenting on this announcement, SAPPMA chairman Jan Venter said that the association welcomes the decision by the SABS.

“Representing a socially responsible industry, SAPPMA already embarked on a voluntary removal of heavy metal stabilizers from PVC pipes back in 2006 because it added value to SAPPMA's life cycle thinking and took into account end-of-life issues and waste management options. The reason for the initiative was based on health and environmental considerations and was done at considerable cost to our members,” Mr Venter explained.

The heavy metal-free policy was fully implemented by SAPPMA in July 2009 and applied to drinking water systems as well as sewer, drainage and mine pipes.

“Although lead does not leach from the plastic pipes and does not pose any danger to people once installed, we felt compelled to create a safer environment for the manufacturers where lead poisoning does pose a risk for their workers. As a result, all PVC pipe manufactured by SAPPMA members are lead-free and are stabilised with environmentally friendly materials such as Calcium Zinc or organics based stabilisers instead. Adherence to the policy has been a requirement for SAPPMA Membership over the past 8 years, and as such has formed part of the regular SAPPMA factory audits,” Mr Venter said.

Sibongile Dhlamini, general manager at the SABS Certification in Gauteng, said the SABS strongly promotes the highest possible product quality standards as well as environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and materials. “We therefore urge companies to ensure they comply and begin the process of removing heavy metals from their manufacturing process, if they have not yet done so,” he said.

PVC pipe manufacturers in South Africa needing assistance with the process can contact SAPPMA.