PVC – INNOVATIONS – APPLICATIONS – SUBSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS – WWW.SOLVINPVC.COM

T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R P V C P R O F E S S I O N A L S S O L V I N

A P R I L 2 0 0 9

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SPECIAL ISSUE PIPES & FITTINGS

WATER and PVC, a joint future

VINYL 2010® RECYCLING OBJECTIVES HATS OFF TO THE INDUSTRY! MARKET DEVELOPMENTS

WHAT NEWS FROM THE FRONT LINE?

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Special issue WATER and PVC PIPES P 0 4 ■ P E R F O R M A N C E Water Supply – PVC under pressure? No stress | Waste Water Disposal – PVC, whatever the challenge | Sewage Systems – The fi eld of choice for PVC | Drainage – Bending without breaking | Irrigation – Available only from an authorised distributor |

P 1 4 ■ M A R K E T D E V E L O P M E N TGo East ! |

P 1 5 ■ P R O M O T I N G P V C PVC4Pipes – An association of common interests |

P 1 6 ■ W O R T H D I S C O V E R I N G … PVC comes up trumps again |

P 1 8 ■ M A D E I N P V C Theo Jansen – The man who makes tubes walk in the wind… |

P 2 0 ■ S U S TA I N A B L E S O L U T I O N S Ecoprofi le – Leading by example | Perpetual cycle ? – Vinyl 2010® and Recovinyl®: hats off to the pipe manufacturers |

P 2 4 ■ C A S E S T U D I E S Life-changing pipes – Brazil | Madagascar | Cambodia | Thailand |

P 2 8 ■ P V C N E W S Focus on… – Great Britain | France | Switzerland |

P 3 0 ■ S O LV I N ’ S D I G E S T SolVin Rheinberg – 50 years of PVC | Barcelona – Expoquimia | Solvay Indupa – Arte & Vinil | Dubai – Arabplast |

Managing EditorPierre TucoulatEditorial DirectorXavier van Kesteren xavier.vankesteren@solvay.comEditorial CommitteeXavier van Kesteren, Richard Thommeret, Helmuth Leitner, Catherine FustinCorrespondentsHervé Boisson, Edison Carlos, Enrico Ferraris, Zdenek Hruska, David Hughes, Raimon Piqué, Sarintip Sritongkam, Muriel Van Schoelandt With the collaboration of:Jacques de Gerlache, Jean-Louis Dermience, Joël Fumire, Werner Preusker (AGPU), Alain Rémy, Raja Wakil (Chempart Polymers)Editing, graphics and productionThe Crew CommunicationCatherine Fustincatherine@thecrewcommunication.comPhotosSolVin, Pipelife Netherlands, Alphacan, Nicoll (Aliaxis Group), Pipelife Spain, Espiroflex, Cincinnati Extrusion GmbH, Ouest Drain, Pipelife France, Zicla, Faraplan, Loek van der Klis, SEMASA, Jacques de Gerlache, SNV Cambodia/Jan Lam, Thackray Museum, H.P. Gasser AG (Switzerland), Art Gens, Chempart Polymers, iStockphoto, Getty Images, ShutterstockCover: "Water splashing" – Shutterstock

Any reproduction is subject to authorisation.Legal deposit at the National Library:April 2009

April 2009Published by SolVinRue de Ransbeek 310B-1120 BrusselsTel. : (32) (0)2 264 28 22www.solvinpvc.comwww.solvay.com/pvc/index.htm

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Today’s real challenge is sustainable innovationThe PVC pipe is an integral part of our everyday environment. Over the 70 years it has been in use, it has risen to today’s dominant position through rapid and sustained growth. It is a little-known – or forgotten – fact that pipes represented the first large-scale use of PVC and the start of its meteoric rise…

These 70 years of expansion owe a debt to the courage of pipe manufacturers and their confidence in the new technology, which has allowed the PVC pipe to develop consistently. Whether it is a question of strength, resistance to very high pressures, impact resistance, recycling or even noise insulation and appearance, creativity and innovation are more important than ever from the manufacturer’s point of view.

Innovation and creativity are also central to everything we do at SolVin and we expect our strength in these areas to carry us through the crisis currently affecting the whole of the industrialised world. At the same time, we will continue to incorporate our sustainable development programme into the Group’s growth strategy. For SolVin, the real challenge lies in the decline in fossil fuel reserves and the growing importance of environmental issues. Hence the reason we place so much emphasis on continuous improvement in recycling techniques, which enable increasing amounts of waste to be recovered. Oil makes up only 43% of PVC. Recycling means that the industry expects to reduce still further the proportion of non-renewable energy required in the manufacture of its products. Last year, almost 200,000 tonnes of recycled PVC products were re-used, to a large extent in the manufacture of pipes!

Water, the first outlet for PVC pipe, is a critical issue for all industrialised societies, and also – above all – for the emerging countries. At the start of this the 21st Century, the stakes associated with water management are high… and the opportunities for market development enormous. The demand is real and the current crisis will not obscure for long the need to equip towns and cities with lasting and reliable pipe systems. PVC has clear advantages and is ready to play its part in meeting this challenge. The main thing is to communicate this and to maintain a level of innovation which supports PVC’s image as a material capable of responding to the issues of tomorrow.

Pierre Tucoulat, SolVin CEO

SolVin in a few words ■ ■ ■

SolVin, the joint venture between Solvay and BASF, is one of Europe's leading producers of PVC resin with a capacity of 1.32 million tonnes and 8 production sites. SolVin produces different types of PVC for a wide variety of everyday uses.Pooling the skills of the two groups and the geographical distribution of SolVin's production sites enables the company to provide reliable deliveries of products and associated services.For many years SolVin has also adopted a proactive approach to the environment, mainly through its commitment to the European programme Vinyl 2010 ®.

Edit

oria

lg Pierre Tucoulat

SolVin CEO

4

Water is the most plentiful natural resource on earth. But it is also the most difficult to control and the most unevenly distributed. With nothing less than the lives of hundreds of millions of people are at stake, PVC is playing its part in meeting the challenge.

4

& PVCA JOINT FUTURE

Barely 0.028% of the hydrosphere is accessible to man and this alone must satisfy the human race’s entire needs for water – for domestic use, agriculture, industry and energy. While at the same time, the Earth’s population continues to grow. In 1950, available renewable water reserves were estimated at 17,000m3 per person per year. This was down to 7,500 m3 per person/year in 1995 and is expected to drop to less than 5,100 m3 per person/year in 2025, a 2/3 reduction in available reserves per person in just 75 years. In some drought-stricken regions, the inhabitants have no permanent infrastructure supplying water to their homes, while it flows in abundance elsewhere and often not so far away. This is why it is essential to rationalise its transportation and use.

WATE

55

P E R F O R M A N C E

Water and PVC pipe celebrate a 70-year alliance

From this point of view, PVC has a major role to play, provided it can meet new requirements through innovations increasingly at the cutting edge of technology. Since 1937 and the installation of the first PVC water pipe, supply mains, sewage pipes and irrigation and drainage systems have made spectacular advances. With an almost unlimited life, resistance to extreme climatic conditions, the highest standards of hygiene safety and 100% recycling of manufacturing scrap, PVC has been contributing to the well-being of the population for over 70 years. It is also the hope for survival of hundreds of millions of people for whom water does not simply spring from the ground…

R

6

PVC UNDER PRESSURE ?

01 WATER SUPPLY

In the case of water supply, the two requirements which outweigh all others are resistance to pressure over the long term and chemical inertness. In both cases, PVC more than passes muster!

The pressure resistance of a material over the long term (50 years) is measured in terms of the MRS – "Minimum Required Strength". The advantage of PVC lies in its high modulus of elasticity (E modulus – resistance to tension) which enables it to achieve average values of MRS 25 (25 Mpa or 250 bar), while other plastics generally plateau at MRS 10.

Branches and connections are often the weak points in pressure resistance. Here too, PVC has solutions for every eventuality. For example, with fittings known as "tensile resistant fittings" (TRF) (Pipelife, GeorgFischer, etc.), a complex system can

be made resistant to uncoupling, as the tensile resistance of the fittings is unparalleled in the sector.Still more remarkable and reassuring is the fact that the new bi-oriented PVC pipes (PVC-O)1 have resistance of MRS 40 to 45. This performance is achieved by a lower degree of creep. The exceptional smoothness of the internal walls of PVC-O water supply pipes improve flow and limit as far as possible any deposits which would impede it.

In the case of drinking water, these properties are essential to maintain its quality, but they would be less valuable were it not for PVC’s chemical inertness, which ensures that the components of the pipe do not migrate into the water and, conversely, that the disinfectants in the water (such as chlorine dioxide) do not attack the pipe walls. No other plastics used for water supply offer such a combination of advantages. Enough said…

1 See also Wave 17: Pipes and fittings – "Bi-oriented" developments.

Grip ring

Rubber sealings

7

NO STRESS !One reason why PVC remains the plastic with the highest stress resistance is constant technical innovation. In the case of water supply, bi-oriented PVC is in the forefront of such innovation.

Given that water mains must meet certain requirements in terms of both quality and economic viability, PVC-O is a solution worthy of closer consideration. It not only has extremely high mechanical resistance but is also economic in terms of raw materials, owing to the thinness of the walls. Bi-orientation specialists in Europe include Pipelife (Austria – www.pipelife.com),Wavin (Netherlands – www.wavin.com), Alphacan (France – www.alphacan.com), Uponor (Finland – www.uponor.com), Molecor and Uralita (Spain – www.molecor.com – www.uralita.com). This new generation of PVC pipes naturally includes a full range of connectors and branch fittings with the same level of resistance.

PVC-O: first in class for water supply

In a study recently conducted in South Africa, engineer Mike Osry2 demonstrated the exceptional pressure resistance of PVC-O pipes. He calculated the resistance capacity over 50 years, showing it to be 80% better than that of non bi-oriented PVC and PVC-M (PVC modified by the addition of chlorinated polyethylene or acrylics), and four times better than that of HDPE 100 pipes (high density polyethylene with an MRS of 100 bar). This makes PVC-O the highest performance material for drinking water supply. Many European countries have adopted it and are seeing the benefits of its remarkable properties. In addition to its resistance to impact and water hammer, these include the enhanced hydraulic capacity obtained from increasingly large diameters and energy savings across the entire lifecycle of the product, which leave HDPE 100, steel and ductile cast iron far behind.

To add to these encouraging findings, new tests are being developed on a regular basis, in particular under the auspices of the association PVC4Pipes. These include, for example, the new method of gelation testing using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The apparatus used measures the heat absorption of a sample as a function of temperature, which enables the temperature at which the crystallites melt and thus the quality of the PVC in service to be determined. This method is of great interest insofar as it uses only a small sample of the material.

Resistance to chemicals: ending the chlorine debate

Chemical inertness is an essential property of drinking water supply pipes. Obviously the purity of the water must be protected by preventing the pipe components migrating to the water stream; but the pipe must also be resistant, even in extreme conditions, to the disinfectants contained in the water, the main one being chlorine dioxide (ClO2). It will be remembered that in the very hot summer of 2003 plastic pipes in the French drinking water mains network, which had not reached the required minimum life of 50 years, failed under normal

pressure conditions. The reason? The presence of very high levels of ClO2 in an abnormally hot environment. Consequently SolVin and PVC4Pipes conducted a study in order to ensure that PVC pipes could withstand these extreme conditions, in accordance with the requirements of ISO 4433. The experiment was carried out using ClO2 and another disinfectant sometimes used for water, sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), better known as bleach.

The scientists did not find any deterioration of the PVC with either product at normal temperatures and in normal conditions. They then subjected the PVC samples to very harsh conditions, which do not exist in current usage (temperature of 40°C, high concentrations of disinfectants in the water) and found only a very limited attack on the PVC surface. This was well below the corrosion limits authorised for approval. These results confirm the excellent resistance of rigid PVC to corrosive agents. For further confirmation, we refer to the study conducted in 2006 by the German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW), in which the rates of failure of the different types of material used in water supply systems are compared. PVC has the lowest failure rate (0.05 occurrences per kilometre of pipe run per year) as opposed to 0.26 for steel, 0.12 for fibre cement and 0.08 for PE (see below). g

2 Mike A. Osry: The energy crisis – Designing with material and energy efficient PVC piping systems. DPI Plastics (Pty) Ltd., P.O. Box 389, Germiston. 2006.

P E R F O R M A N C E

g To increase the life of water supply pipes, a number of manufacturers have designed external fittings with ultra-high pressure resistance. Illustrated here is the Pipelife system. © Pipelife Netherlands

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Statistics from DVGW 2006, ruptures registered in 2003 and representative of the water distribution network in Germany.

Failure statistics of pipes (source: DVGW – Deutsche Vereinigung des Gas- und Wasserfaches e.V.) Germany year 2003

g The use of bi-orientation means that pipes in the Alphacan Brio® range (pressure rating 16 or 25 bar) will last for over 100 years. © Alphacan

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Everywhere, optimum use of the available space is at the heart of the problem. Consequently, waste water disposal systems must be ever lighter and able to fit into ever tighter corners, without reducing their mechanical performance or falling below the European standard on minimum thickness. How can the circle be squared?

This is not all. Among the properties required of waste water disposal systems, PVC must comply with the fire and thermal shock resistance standards already applicable in some countries and in the process of being extended to Europe as a whole. If it is accepted that PVC cannot withstand very high temperatures (relatively rare in the disposal of domestic waste water), this problem is compounded when an additive is incorporated (acrylonitrile styrene or chlorinated PVC). But how does it behave in fire? By nature self-extinguishing, PVC generally withstands flames better than other plastics. In France, it is already rated M1 and it will undoubtedly meet EN standards when these come into force.

There is one other property which is very important in apartment blocks: absence of noise from water as it descends.

There have been numerous innovations in all these areas in recent years. And PVC continues to be in the frame, whatever the challenge!

Times change and so do buildings. In towns, space is at a premium and each square metre is becoming more and more valuable. At the same time, the need to save energy is also causing changes to construction methods.

SQUARING THE CIRCLE ?

02 WASTE WATER DISPOSAL

9

PVC,WHATEVER THE CHALLENGEHow to save on raw materials and at the same time improve the efficiency of disposal and the ease of installation in ever smaller spaces? The first answer lies in the structure of PVC pipe: two smooth layers and an expanded (foamed) PVC intermediate layer which can comprise up to 100% recycled PVC. The result is pipes which use less virgin raw material and are lighter but just as rigid, with lower manufacturing costs and unequalled energy performance. The second answer is in the infinite range of fittings and connectors available to the building industry.

No weak link in the disposal chain

It goes without saying that to obtain the best performance from the pipes, the mechanical properties of the fittings must be of the same standard. The range of elbows, tees, sleeves, reducers, caps and branch pieces is vast and capable of meeting all requirements. Everything necessary to access the most inaccessible corners and allow waste water to flow freely from the top floor of a skyscraper to the lowest basement; to install new connections or restore old pipework (PVC fittings can also be used with pipes made from other materials). The installer has the choice of a simple joint, clamp ring, bonding with or without solvent, butt welding or other jointing method, depending on the type of pipe used, compact or multilayer. PVC pipes have the advantage over their competitors that they are compatible with all existing systems. Another undeniable advantage: PVC fittings are resistant to corrosive agents and to the build-up of deposits.

Behaviour in fire? Meringues on the menu

Pipelife France has recently succeeded in developing an intumescent formulation (which forms a meringue-like structure) with an expansion rate of over 800%, and which also meets the most stringent fire performance standards, with an S1 rating for smoke density. Good news for Solévac waste pipes, which were previously rated S2/S3. In France, these pipes will be submitted during the course of 2009 for the NF Me mark, which will open the door to markets for “établissements recevant du public” (ERP – buildings accessible to the general public) under the new legislation.

Flexible PVC for spiral downpipes

Not so long ago, the building industry could only use rigid PVC pipes for waste water disposal. But demand for flexible systems, suitable for the very tight spaces in modern buildings and resistant to thermal shock,

stimulated research. The result was the development of new pipes, both more flexible and more ingenious in making the best use of available space.

Espiroflex, the leading Spanish manufacturer of flexible PVC pipe systems, has launched a range under the name Hydrotubo®: a pipe comprising a spiral in rigid PVC and a body in flexible PVC, made to meet the most stringent quality standards. The product is available in diameters from 16 to 125 mm and comes with a complete range of connection and branching accessories. www.espiroflex.com

Silence, water is flowing!

The world of construction has matured, prompted by an awareness of the many factors which pollute our living environment, amongst which noise problems are considered a priority. A healthy, comfortable and stress-free home is a right which building industry professionals have understood. Some examples? The Chutunic® Acoustique system from Nicoll (France) allows waste and sewage water to be evacuated in a single fall with exceptional hydraulic and acoustic performance. The sewage disposal pipes Aquasilent® from Pipelife Spain or Bluphon® from Faraplan (Italy) have an innovative, triple-layer PVC structure which is able to absorb sound. They can be used for rainwater downpipes as well as for sewage disposal. g

www.pipelife.es www.faraplan.it www.nicoll.fr

P E R F O R M A N C E

g The helical grooves in the inner wall of Chutunic® Acoustique pipe systems produce exceptional hydraulic and acoustic performance. © Nicoll (Aliaxis Group)

© E

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g The innovative structure of Aquasilent® silent pipes comprises 3 layers of high-density mineralised PVC. © Pipelife Spain

Intermediate layer (sound-absorbent PVC)

Inner layer (PVC)

Outer layer (PVC)

1 0

Recycling at its best

Manufactured by extrusion with in-line perforation, OD Pro® drains from the French company Ouest Drain – which are recognisable by their "natural green" exterior and make a change from the habitual grey – are compact PVC pipes made in part from recycled window or door frames and are designed to dissipate the waste water produced by private sewage systems. They have a high level of resistance to crushing and have markings to help with trench laying and ensure the correct alignment of the outlet slits. www.ouest-drain.com

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BRINGING WATER BACK TO LIFE?

03 SEWAGE SYSTEMS

© O

uest

DR

AIN

What are the features required of a high performance sewage system? Above all, the strength of the pipes, which have to be suitable for variable flow rates and water volumes. Then, the capacity to withstand soil movement, crushing or vibration, stresses which require a degree of flexibility, as well as strength, in the pipes. Lastly, resistance to attack from chemicals, which means very high stability in the pipe molecular structure.

PVC multilayer and corrugated pipes are particularly suitable for use in sewage systems. Through advances in research, users now have access to pipes of increasingly large diameter, using less and less raw material and thus widening their field of application. Moreover, multilayer pipes use a larger proportion of recycled material than conventional PVC pipes. It is simple to inject expanded PVC, a significant proportion of which comes from recycling, into a triple-wall pipe and comply fully with the applicable standards. Contrary to received wisdom, recycled PVC (PVC-R) continues to perform to the required standard. It is also the only plastic which, once the pipe has reached the end of its life, does not lose its mechanical properties when recycled. Consequently, it is the only plastic to be considered for pipework applications complying with European standards. Let us look at this in more detail…

1 11 1

1 See also Wave 17: Pipes and fittings – "Bi-oriented" developments.

g The multilayer structure of the Bipeau® SN16, mechanically similar to an I- beam,

results in significantly higher inertia than that of compact PVC pipes, for the same weight.

© Alphacan

P E R F O R M A N C E S

THE FIELD OF CHOICE FOR PVCIn the case of sewage systems, multilayer PVC pipes provide exceptional strength. Triple wall pipes now have a ring stiffness rating of SN16, compared with the previous maximum of SN8. The secret behind this development? Use in the intermediate layer of expanded PVC incorporating a significant proportion of recycled material (PVC-R). This results in greater strength, but also a saving of raw material and a reduced weight per running metre.

Improved strength with recycled PVC

The use of PVC-R in this intermediate layer

should come as no surprise. Even when

re-used after processing, the resin loses

none of its mechanical properties, making

it a component of choice for the expanded

internal layer.

These new types of pipe are slowly but surely

taking a leading position in the sewage

systems market, owing to their strength and

flexibility, which together make them suitable

for the most difficult and rough terrain and

for loads which vary at random. A PVC with

stiffness rating SN16, for example, such as

Bipeau® developed by Alphacan (France),

uses the ground to help create resistance

to external loads, while at the same time

absorbing a significant degree of stress in its

own walls. The "pipe/ground" combination is

what counteracts the stress applied. There is,

therefore, no risk of the pipe rupturing.

www.alphacan-canalisations.com

Corrugated pipes, the "all-terrain" solution

Corrugated, twin wall pipes offer remarkable

stiffness and flexibility, even in the large

diameters of their reference application (in

excess of one metre!). The corrugated outer

layer absorbs impact, while the perfectly

smooth inner layer allows optimum waste

water flow. Ultra-resistant to impact and

vibration, they have been tried and tested for

a number of years in the worst of conditions:

under motorways, airport runways, railway

lines, etc. The new element in this sector,

which will enable both a reduction in the

quantity of raw material and a further

improvement in performance, is the option

of using bi-oriented PVC for the inner layer,

through laser welding of the two walls, which

reinforces the structural integrity. Laboratory

experiments have demonstrated the benefits

of this method of “bonding”, which has no

adverse effects on the mechanical properties

of the PVC-O. In terms of formulation and

visual properties, laser welding is at least

equal to and often better than, thermal

welding1. A technical innovation which will

allow PVC-O to extend its hitherto restricted

field of application to compact pipes.

Failure rates: PVC bends but does not break

The German engineering company Stein &

Partner GmbH has conducted a survey of

the comparative performance of different

sewage systems in Europe. This shows that

ductile pipes offer the best environmental

performance on the market in terms of

resistance to failure, longevity and stability

against chemical attack. This is particularly

important, since the failure of a sewage pipe

can constitute an environmental disaster,

given the potential toxicity of some of the

matter transported in these pipes. In this

context, the survey also shows that the least

monitored and inspected systems are those

with the highest failure rates.

In-line calibration: intelligent change Among the technologies which help

manufacturers to save on raw materials is

one which allows the pipe dimension to be

changed without interrupting the extrusion

process. Key benefits are

production continuity, less

machine downtime, a reduction

in start-up waste and, as a

result, reduced costs and

delivery times. Moreover,

contrary to current trends,

this technology (called

IntelliChange® from

Cincinnati Extrusion

or QuickShift® from

Krauss-Maffei)

does not have

computerised

controls and can

be used by the

workforce without

additional training. Worth

considering?

www.cet-austria.comwww.kraussmaffei.com

WIR®: repair the system without digging

Not so long ago, a damaged sewage system

created a real headache; repairing the

problem meant digging up the whole system –

a Herculean task. Now a Polish company has

developed a repair method which makes this

totally unnecessary. Called Shortlining WIR®,

it involves inserting a new inner wall into the

damaged system by introducing 58 cm long

sections with a self-locking socket at each

end. There are several techniques for inserting

the pipe sections into the original pipe, either

by hydraulic pressure or by using a winch.

The website www.systemwir.pl includes

an animation clearly demonstrating

the process. g

© C

inci

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i Ext

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on

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What do a farm, a golf course, a car park, a road, a building site and an airport have in common? Drainage, of course! Indispensable in our temperate climate with its abundant rainfall and groundwater springs.

A DEMANDING SECTOR?

04 DRAINAGE

BENDING WITHOUT BREAKING The demands on perforated drainage pipes mean that they have to be flexible and light. They must be able to adapt to all the contours of the land, follow the bends in a ditch or a ravine, etc.

They must continue to offer the maximum resistance to soil movement and crushing and must use the minimum amount of raw material, in order to keep their costs competitive. This is one reason why large diameter drains are generally corrugated. In the case of small diameters, the structure allows the pipe to be rolled for transport and installation. Pipes used to drain green spaces (fields, sports grounds, etc.) are often sheathed to filter the water as it goes in and so prevent the holes becoming blocked and also prevent roots finding their way into the pipe. This sheath may be made from coconut matting, geotextile membrane or polypropylene fibre. Protected in this way, the material is among the best performing for drainage applications. g

g The drainage pipe is wrapped with coconut or synthetic fibres which filter the water. © Pipelife France

1 3

PVC? The most reliable substitute for rain There has been a spectacular rise in the use of sprinkler irrigation systems in recent years. This method is extremely practical where water is scarce, as the mist system disperses the water uniformly in the same way as rain. PVC pipes are suitable for all types of terrain and help improve productivity by reducing the farmer’s workload and the amount of water used. The pipes and fittings (elbows, branch pieces, joints, caps, siphons, reducers, valves, etc.) are all extremely robust. Drip irrigation is a relatively new technique whereby water is injected into the root zone. This has a number of advantages. For example, it reduces the risk of fungal disease (such as mildew) by limiting the ambient humidity. It also prevents the proliferation of weeds whose seeds germinate on a wet surface. Drip irrigation is ideal for sandy soils, steep slopes and land exposed to the wind. A good filtration system is important to prevent the pipes becoming blocked.

Recycled electric cables for garden watering

The use of recycled PVC is now an integral part of the manufacturing process, in the irrigation sector as in other areas. With the development of the Vinyloop® recycling process, old electric cables at the end of their life can be used in irrigation – or more precisely the black inner layer of irrigation pipes. The environmental bene-

fits and the tonnes of waste recovered are more than enough to justify the significant R&D investment required to achieve this…Vinyloop®? No, it is neither a trendy dance nor a hip-hop group. It is a closed-loop recycling process for mixed PVC waste (cables, textiles, etc.): the waste materials are shredded and then dissolved in a solvent which separates out the different components. The PVC is recovered by precipitation, separation and drying. This produces PVC in powder form with the same molecular composition and pro-perties as the original material. This high quality raw material can be used without further processing. For the Italian FITT group, it is the material of choice for the manufacture of irrigation pipes…www.vinyloop.com – www.fitt.com g

In the past, free flowing irrigation systems were popular owing to their simplicity. It was enough to run the water between the furrows and let it soak in unaided. Unfortunately, this resulted in some 50% of the water being wasted and, as a consequence, two new irrigation methods have been developed: sprinkler and drip irrigation systems. The development of these techniques and the excellent value for money offered by PVC have resulted in a significant increase in the use of rigid or flexible, pressurised pipes and this trend is expected to continue. It is worth remembering, too, that PVC is also the leading pressure-resistant material for water supply pipes…And PVC irrigation pipes have become the main market for the recycled compound Vinyloop®.

BLUE GOLD?

05 IRRIGATION

AVAILABLE ONLY FROM AN AUTHORISED DISTRIBUTOR

P E R F O R M A N C E

g One of the main uses for Vinyloop® resin, made from recycled electric cables, is in the inner layer of hosepipes.

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M A R K E T D E V E L O P M E N T

Ready-to-use solutions for extremely low temperatures

The aim of collaboration between RusVinyl and SolVin, for example, is to launch on these emerging markets a PVC compound ready for extrusion. This "ready-to-use" product already contains the required additives and a modified (high density) PVC resin intended to offer improved resistance to impact and/or to temperatures well below our own. This solution is of vital strategic importance in the markets of Central Europe and the East, where small pipe manufacturers have neither the means nor the infrastructure to mix their own compounds. g

The levels of market penetration in Europe speak for themselves: PVC has 65% of the market for waste water disposal systems in buildings, 30% of that for water supply pipes, 75% of that for sewage pipes and 40% of the telecommunication cable sheathing market. The opening up of the markets of central Europe has led to expansion into these countries, which are eager for simple and effective solutions. This explains the growth rate of 8% or 220,000 tonnes per annum, of which Poland alone accounts for 105,000 tonnes. There is, however, still potential for growth, as PVC has only 37% of the plastic pipe market, as opposed to 53% for HDPE and 10% for PP.

The future is in the East

It is nevertheless important to bear in mind the boom in local production, mainly in the trio of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Between 2003 and 2009, plastic pipe production in these countries increased from 120,000 tonnes/year to 350,000 tonnes, covering ¾ of the domestic market. The majority of this production relates to polyethylenes, which leaves a significant margin for growth for PVC. Particularly given that, if the forecasts of Russia’s leader in this sector, the Polyplastic Group, are to be believed, demand will continue to increase through to 2012 at least. Note, however, that, according to the same source, Russia could become completely self-sufficient in pipe manufacture over the next three years, hence the need to capture this market very quickly.The more so since the main foreign supplier today is not European but from South-East Asia, which is progressively increasing its market share at the expense of European producers. It remains to be seen whether the same standards of quality apply…

« A market can only survive if it develops, expands and adapts to new requirements. This is why R&D is a key concern of the players in the PVC pipe market. Today, PVC is the material of choice on the world market, owing to its low production cost and extreme longevity. But nothing is forever…»

EAST

1 51 5

PVC already has a long history and its reliability is indisputable. Why is it still necessary to defend its position?

We must always be attentive to what is being said and done. Too often, PVC finds itself the target of insufficiently or misinformed environmentalist organisations. In a market where competitors are only too happy to ride the tide of this “green” wave in order to gain market share, we must defend our product against false rumours. Our product is a durable, innovative material, which does not adversely affect the properties of the fluids it carries and which is easy to use and maintain. Our aim is to re-establish the image of PVC in line with reality. This will be a long task, but a very necessary one.

What concrete steps has the association taken to promote PVC and develop the market?

We initiate publicity campaigns to explain the advantages of PVC. We organise numerous meetings to persuade decision makers and also the processing industry. It is a question of both developing what is available and maximising demand. This is the reason why we concentrate much of our efforts on processing companies which are about to change production system, in order to try to convince them to invest in PVC units. We also make sure that more and more representatives of the PVC industry always speak at the major plastics industry conventions.

What are the most promising market opportunities today?

Undoubtedly the countries of Central & Eastern Europe and the Far East. This does not, of course, mean withdrawing from our other markets – we will very shortly be organising another conference in Spain. But many of these countries are currently investing in modernising their drinking water supply and sewage disposal systems. This offers outstanding opportunities for the PVC pipe industry.

How do you see the sector’s future?

PVC has been around for quite some time, but there is still plenty of scope for innovation. I am thinking in particular of the whole question of recycling, which is improving all the time. But also of aspects relating to the quality of life, such as the issue of quiet pipes in apartment blocks. I am certain that all current and future innovations will enable PVC pipes to continue to grow in an increasingly competitive market.

To conclude, what message would PVC4Pipes like to pass on to our readers?

We are constantly looking to expand our membership. There are many small, local processing companies which do an excellent job. They make up 40% of the market. We would like them to take advantage of the benefits of joining an association such as PVC4Pipes… there is strength in unity !

www.pvc4pipes.org

PVC4Pipes is an association of

some 40 industrial companies in the pipe sector (manufacturers

of resins, additives, extrusion equipment,

processing companies, etc.). Founded in

2003, its mission is to defend the interests

of the industry in the face of ever increasing

competition. It is active in the

technical sphere (the development of new processes and their

standardisation) and in the communications

arena.

Interview with association President

Bruno van der Wielen.

PVC4PIPES AN ASSOCIATION OF COMMON INTERESTS

The European Plastic Pipes and Fittings Association:TEPPFA – www.plastic-pipes.com Some national associations, members of TEPFFA:STR-PVC (F) – Syndicat des Tubes et Raccords en PVC – www.str-pvc.orgBureauLeiding (NL) – Dutch Plastic Pipes Association – www.bureauleiding.nl KRV (G) – Kunststoffrohrverband e.V. – www.krv.deAseTUB (S) – Asociación Española de Fabricantes de Tubos y Accesorios Plásticos – www.asetub.esTubiPVC (I) – Gruppo Produttori Tubi e Raccordi in PVC – www.tubipvc.itPPG (UK) – Plastic Pipes Group – www.pipesgroup.com

P R O M O T I N G P V C

1 6

PVC COMES UP

Copper-style guttering, but in PVC

Copper is scarce and expensive and requires specialist installation. No problem! There are now reasonable imitations, without the limiting factors. Imitation copper PVC guttering will meet the most demanding requirements at lower cost, as well as being easier to install and more durable.www.faraplan.it – www.nicoll.fr

From credit cards to PVC pipes

The Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) has developed a process which enables the PVC scrap from credit cards to be mixed with styrenics. The aim? To create a recycled PVC compound which meets the requirements of current standards for use in the PVC pipes and fittings sector, by achieving a high Vicat rating (softening point). Contact: Dr. David Garcia Sangonera00 34 653 914 741

2

5 Nanocompositesin guttering

The Italian company Faraplan has developed

a new guttering system based on a PVC com-

pound comprising a nano-mineral and organic

stabilisers. The result? A doubling of mechanical

strength and longevity for a gutter system 100%

free of lead and a high gloss appearance.

www.faraplan.it

6

Lane markers in recycled PVC:

a subject for reflection

In recent years, the authorities in several Spanish

towns and cities have created cycle lanes as part

of a programme to encourage the use of non-

polluting transport.

In order to separate these lanes from motorised

traffic and ensure the safety of cyclists, Zicla,

a company specialising in recycled products,

has developed lane markers based on waste

from PVC electric cables. After co-ordinating

collection of the waste, it then embarked on

injection technology and product development.

These lane markers, which have reflective strips

and are available in two heights, have already

been installed in several towns and cities,

including Barcelona, Seville and San Cutgat del

Vallés. A further concrete example of a durable

application of PVC recycled from another

application, also durable.

www.zicla.com

1

© Faraplan

© Z

icla

TRUMPS AGAINW O R T H D I S C O V E R I N G …

PVC/wood composite tubes take over

A replacement has been found for the cardboard tubes used by the film and textile industry: the German company Westfälische Kunststoff Technik (WKT to its friends) has developed a composite PVC/wood tube which is substantially more rigid and above all is not affected by damp conditions. Unlike cardboard.www.wkt-online.de

Repairing PVC pipes without digging up the trench

Rehau of Germany has developed an innovative system for repairing leaks in water supply or waste water disposal pipes without digging up the trench. An U-shaped tube is inserted into the damaged pipe. Steam is then injected at high pressure, causing the tube to mould perfectly to the shape of the existing pipe, thus stopping the leak on a long-term basis. Another small step which serves to reinforce the durability of PVC pipes.www.rehau.de

What is the temperature in the pipe, please? A Faraplan prototype, applied in an irrigation pipe, but which could equally well be used in any type of pipe: "thermo-chromatism". Or how to make use of the properties of liquid crystals to indicate to the end user the temperature of the fluid transported in a pipe.

www.faraplan.it

3 4

7 Microcell, maxistrengthWavin T&L (Netherlands) has developed a process for the manufacture of sewage pipes from expanded microcellular PVC, which involves stimulating the formation of microcells by constriction as it leaves the nozzle. The mechanical properties of these pipes – in particular their rigidity and impact resistance – are substantially better than those of

conventional expanded PVC pipes. They have, therefore, no problem complying with all the criteria required by current standards.nl.wavin.com

8

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1 8

To see the beach beasts walking in the wind, go to: www.youtube.com (Search: Theo Jansen – Kinetic Sculptor)

www.strandbeest.com

« It is like a new life form. But there is no need for pollen or for seeds…. Just PVC tubes joined together like the bones of a skeleton. Animals which can walk in the wind, which feed on nothing more than the spray. Over time, these skeletons have developed, surviving the elements: water, storms… I want now to leave them in herds on the beaches And allow them to live lives of their own. » Theo Jansen Physicist and kinetic sculptor

THE MAN WHO MAKES TUBES WALK IN THE WIND…

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M A D E I N P V C

© P

hoto

s: L

oek

van

der

Klis

2 0

For a number of years, the PVC industry has been making considerable efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its operations and at the same time permanently improve the quality and mechanical performance of the product.

As a result, PVC now has a very good ecoprofile compared with other materials in the same markets. Initiatives such as Vinyl 2010® and Recovinyl® developed by the industry have enabled it to analyse accurately the life cycles of the products and quantify their effects on the environment. But that is not all, since sustainable development raises the question not only of ecological and economic factors, but also of social aspects. In this context, it is worth noting that the 20,000 companies operating in Europe provide 530,000 jobs. Working conditions (safety, hygiene, wages) are generally excellent.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

ECOPROFILE

1 See also pages 10 and 11: Bringing water back to life? The field of choice for PVC.

Nor should we forget the social contribution of the PVC industry which supports a wide range of development projects, particularly for the distribution of drinking water in countries where water supply is a problem and where PVC pipes work miracles. Lastly, Vinyl 2010®, in bringing together a vast array of efforts to improve durability, constitutes a good example of an integrated industry programme to meet the challenges of sustainable development.

Production: less and less "grey"

Compared with the other materials traditionally used to make pipes, the carbon footprint of PVC production is one of the best, just behind that of terracotta. The two main natural resour-ces used in PVC are oil and salt. Production of these does not have a particular impact on the environment. It is also worth noting that it is the polymer which uses the least oil and the only one which is 100% recyclable – allowing an ever greater saving on raw materials and reduction in CO2 emissions. This is all the more important because polymers disposed of to landfill do not decompose.Recycling is an essential element of the eco-performance of PVC. Whereas the presence of recycled material in a product is too often synonymous with poor quality, this preconcep-tion does not apply in any sense to PVC, since recycling does not cause it to lose its mechani-cal properties. For example, smooth multilayer sewage pipes, manufactured in accordance with standard EN 13476-2, use between 15% and 60%, or even more, recycled material in the middle expanded layer. Note, too, that this is the new range with high crush resistance, known as "Class SN16"1, which has to meet the strictest of standards.

Waste for recycling is sorted, ground and pulverised according to the specifications set by the multilayer pipe extrusion industry, in consultation with the recycling professionals. The recyclate obtained is a raw material which can be used directly along with virgin premix in the extruders without any loss of intrinsic product quality or life span (60 years at least). Given that the contribution of carbon emis-sions in the LCA (life cycle analysis) occurs essentially in the material extraction and production phases, there is a clear advantage to using some 80% recycled raw material in the process.The time has come that we should no longer be ashamed of stating explicitly that recycled PVC (PVC-R) contributes actively to sustaina-ble development.

Transport and installation: a minimum impact

The fact that PVC products are light in weight reduces transport costs and makes installation easier (cranes not required). Despite the low weight of the pipes, the transport impact over an average distance of 450 km is very small. A distinct advantage remembering that the subsequent costs have significantly more wei-ght than the purchase price in the economic evaluation of a product. Installation requires only a small amount of energy for the drilling necessary to position the mounting clips. The simplicity of the fittings and connections ensures a high level of productivity in installation. The answer to the question of the solvents used for bonding, known as VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), lies in the fact, established by laboratory tests, that at ambient temperature evaporation of the VOCs is complete after 48 hours and

2 1

2 Association representing the PVC producers and processors of Spain and Portugal.

S U S T A I N A B L E S O L U T I O N S

2 1

SPAIN

Studies on the energyperformance of PVC:

positive results

In 2005, the association Foro Ibérico del

PVC2 commissioned a study to analyse

and compare the energy consumption

and CO2 emissions associated with

the different phases of the life cycle of

products made from PVC and other

materials. This study was based on a

concept essential for the objective asses-

sment of the sustainability of a product,

namely its end of life and recyclability.

Led by Prof. José María Baldasano of

the Polytechnic University of Catalonia

(see also Wave 17, page 29), it covered

pipes, windows, waterproof membranes

and cables. Conclusions? For pressurised

applications, bi-oriented PVC heads the

materials with the best ecoperformance;

in the case of waste water disposal, pipes

containing 80% recycled material came

out best, with PVC coming within 0.4% of

the results for polyolefins. The results are

available at www.aboutpvc.org, heading

"Publicaciones", menu item "Ahorro ener-

gético" (in English and Spanish).

the amount which evaporates is 65% of the

solvent in the adhesive. In reality, the health

risks associated with these VOCs are very well

controlled and there is no effect on users.

Life span: control of health risks

One of the decisive advantages of using

PVC pipes is that they are competitive at

all stages in their life cycle. This is because

of their exceptional resistance to rupture,

which makes them the strongest material

on the market. This is confirmed in a study

conducted by the German firm Stein &

Partner, which compared the qualities of

resistance to rupture, longevity and chemical

stability of the materials used for sewage pipes

across Europe. So-called "flexible" pipes (as

opposed to "rigid" pipes made from concrete

or earthenware) came out well in front,

whatever the criterion. In particular in terms

of environmental performance, measured by

the occurrence of leaks, pipe stability, effect

on the purity of the water, any infiltration into

aquifers, contamination of the surrounding soil

and negative impact on buildings, roads, etc.

The chemical stability of PVC should again be

stressed, especially in the transport of drinking

water; the various migration tests conducted

on PVC pipes show that the stabilisers in the

pipe structure do not migrate into

drinking water. g

SWITZERLAND "eco-devis": the PVC pipe

moves up the ratings

The Swiss are sticklers when it comes

to the ecological properties of products,

without losing sight of the cost aspect…

Their "eco-fact sheets" carry weight and

we were pleased to report in Wave 16 the

publication of particularly favourable fact

sheets on PVC windows. This year, the

august body which draws up these "eco-

devis", the Swiss Centre for Study of the

Rationalisation of Construction (CRB), has

moved PVC pipes stabilised with calcium

(substitute for lead) to the top category,

defined as "ecologically beneficial". The

advances made in the collection and re-

cycling of used PVC pipes clearly weighed

in their favour; the universal replacement

of lead stabilisers should improve this

performance in the years ahead.

Further information at www.eco-bau.ch,

under the heading "eco-devis"

(fact sheet 237)

2 2

PERPETUAL CYCLE?

2 2

1 The European Plastic Pipes and Fittings Association.

A Voluntary Commitment by the sector: hats off to the pipe manufacturers!

The commitments made by the industry through the Vinyl 2010® initiative far exceed the requirements of the European REACH regulation. The players involved in the sector have voluntarily undertaken to adhere to strict production charters, cease using cadmium and lead salts and follow a precise programme for the recycling of used PVC; all within the framework of a specific financing scheme.Recovinyl®, the industry’s driving force in terms of recycling, currently covers 11 countries – Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom – and has begun to explore possibilities in Central Europe (Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia). There are also plans to move into Sweden. The TEPPFA1, too, incorporates most of its national initiatives into the Recovinyl® system.And results are beginning to follow: between 2004 and 2009, the quantity of PVC pipes recycled will have increased from 5,640 tonnes/year to 24,187 tonnes. These numbers may seem less impressive than those for other sectors (see table opposite), but this can be explained: not only does a pipe have a longer life span than a window frame or electric cable, but once it has reached the end of its useful life, it is rare that the trouble is taken to dig it up. Nevertheless, collection volumes could increase substantially owing to the prior sorting of building industry scrap. There is much still to be done in this respect… www.recovinyl.com

End of useful life: everything is recycled and the process begins again

Old PVC pipes can be recycled without any problem. Once they have been collected and cleaned, they are crushed and pulverised to form a compound. Then, almost irrespective of how the pipes were previously used, the new raw material can be combined with 10% virgin PVC for use in sewage systems, or it can be used 100% as an inner layer in a multilayer pipe. In both cases complying with the most stringent standards that exist, for a second life at least as long as the first. PVC is the only polymer which, after recycling, can stake a claim to such a wide range of new applications; as research currently stands, recycled polyolefins can only be used in their original application.

Of course, these excellent prospects will only be realised if collection is well organised and provides a regular supply. This implies establishing large-scale collection schemes and efficient sorting centres. It will involve costs, for example in digging up pipes which have reached the end of their life. But the European industry is conscious of the importance of recycling and actively supports the collection and recycling agencies in each country, with the help of the Recovinyl® association. This support is manifest, in particular, in campaigns designed to raise awareness among the authorities and to encourage the players involved throughout the life cycle of the PVC pipe. You can follow the progress of these initiatives on the website www.vinyl2010.org

As we have seen above, rigid PVC is 100% recyclable without loss of mechanical performance and the use of recycled PVC makes a major contribution to increasing energy performance in the manufacture of pipes. Collection (which is expensive) still needs to be encouraged, in order to provide a sufficient flow of used pipes and enable recycling on an industrial scale. The only problem, if we dare mention it, is that in service PVC pipes are proving more durable than the minimum requirements. Consequently, they are lasting longer and the recycling industry is short of raw material… Who can complain?

2 3

Type of PVC post-consumer wastesVolumes (k tonnes)

2005 2006 2007 2008

Window and related profiles 20,168 37,066 56,046 79,877

Pipes and fittings 8,802 10,841 21,236 22,555

Cables 4,414 18,180 44,929 54,986

Flooring 1,728 * 1,776 ** 2,054 2,524

Coated fabrics 1,346 * 2,804 ** 2,609 11,323

Flexibles 757 * 10,504 ** 20,454 19,333

Rigid films 359 1,641 2,135 4,352

Volumes declared but not audited 1,219 0 0 0

Total 38,793 82,812 149,463 194,950* Tonnage including Switzerland – ** Tonnage including Norway and Switzerland

Vinyl 2010® Progress Report – January 2009How is Vinyl 2010®

doing 2 years from D-day?

At the time of going to press, the annual recycling target set by Europe’s PVC industry for 2010, that is to say 200,000 tonnes, had almost been reached: 194,950 tonnes of PVC collected and re-used in 2008, and this, two years ahead of schedule. So why not aim higher? New target, despite the difficult economic situation in 2009: more than 200,000 tonnes !

2 3

Vinyl Foundation ®: give us the means to go further

One thing leads to another: the success achieved by Recovinyl® calls for yet more to be done, as protection of the environment cannot wait. To improve the efficiency of collection and increase recycling rates, all players in the sector and sub-sectors must be fully engaged. This is the objective pursued by the Vinyl Foundation®. This new initiative from the Vinyl 2010® programme has set a target of bringing together all the players involved in an association funded by member subscriptions, which remain low compared to the costs of collection. The aim is both environmental and also impor-tant from the point of view of the image of the industry, still too often the target of ill-informed militant ecologists. Enough said!

2 32 3

Heavy metals on the way out

The ESPA (European Stabiliser Producers

Association) is committed to progressively

eliminating the use of lead stabilisers and

has reached its interim substitution target

(35% since 2000). Lead stabilisers are

increasingly being replaced by stabilisers

based on calcium or organic substances.

This progressive elimination programme

will be extended from the Europe of 15 to

the Europe of 27 by 2015. At the same

time, the TEPPFA has completely elimina-

ted the use of lead stabilisers in drinking

water pipes, except in Spain, Greece and

Portugal. Furthermore, additives based on

cadmium salt, another heavy metal, have

been completely eliminated since 2001.

www.stabilisers.org www.teppfa.com

Support Vinyl 2010 ®

Contribute to achieving the aims of

Vinyl 2010®. For further information,

please go to www.vinylfoundation.org g

S U S T A I N A B L E S O L U T I O N S

Supporting the future for PVC

2 4

BRAZIL

Drinking water, waste water… Santo André has staked everything on PVC. Long regarded as a developing country, Brazil is increasingly being seen as one of the world’s industrialised nations. The dynamism of its economy, however, inevitably requires modernisation of the water supply and waste water disposal infrastructure in its cities. Often starting from a very low base, some Brazilian cities are in the course of becoming models of development, combining efficiency, economy and sustainability. One material is playing its part : PVC.

LIFE-CHANGING PIPES

2 5

What is the current demand for drinking water in the city?

Demand for drinking water is estimated at 165,000 m³ a day, which equates to 1,800 litres a second. Over 98% of the population are connected to the water supply network we have installed. The remaining 2% are supplied by tanker, owing to their geographical location. Given how far we have come, we can be proud of where we are today.

What about your sewage system?

We have also made huge strides here. Over 96% of waste water is evacuated via the sewage system we have built and 40% of this is treated. Our target for 2012, in close collaboration with the municipal authorities, is to be in a position to treat 100% of the waste water. This only leaves us three years. It goes without saying this is a huge challenge, but I have every confidence in our know-how and the materials we have chosen to use.

In precisely this context, you have opted for PVC pipes. What led you to this decision?

In Santo André, for example and more or less across Brazil, the aim is to achieve a level of development in terms of health, quality of life and comfort equivalent to that of the leading

industrialised countries. But not at all costs. The huge investment we are currently making in the city must meet sustainability criteria and must not only make up for lost time, but also put the country in a position of reference for the decades ahead. This made PVC a natural choice.

What do you see as the advantages of the material?

Putting the strictly biological aspects to one side for the moment, PVC enabled us to standardise our supply network at the beginning of the 1970s, and our sewage network in the 1990s. Installing PVC pipes is much easier than working with steel pipes. Moreover, PVC is much cheaper to buy and easier to maintain than any other material. Lastly, the durability of PVC pipes is impressive and the options for recycling at the end of their useful life are increasing all the time.

You also mention the quality of water supplies?

We found that the steel pipes, which were laid before we opted for PVC pipes, aged badly and had a major weakness in that they oxidised over time, which affected water quality. This will not happen with PVC. The various studies into this show PVC as having no effect on water quality. It is for all these reasons (economics, water quality and durability) that we opted for PVC. I am certain we have made the right choice. g

Santo André is a city in the State of São Paulo,

in the south-east of Brazil. It covers an

area of 175 km² and has a population of at

least 650,000. Here we met Carlos Pedro

Bastos, a civil engineer with SEMASA (Santo

André Municipal Environmental Health Department). He is in

charge of the drinking water supply and

waste water disposal networks. A heavy

responsibility in a city in the midst of major

expansion.

g Carlos Pedro Bastos – Civil Engineer – SEMASA (Santo André Municipal Environmental Health Department).

C A S E S T U D I E S

g Santo André now has a sewage system capable of disposing of over 96% of waste water. © SEMASA

2 6

MADAGASCAR

CAMBODIA

BRAZIL

THAILAND

© S

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SA

© P

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es d

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© S

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CONTINUED • LIFE-CHANGING PIPES

2 7

MADAGASCAR

Medima 2000:social integration programme in Madagascar

Tsaratanana, known as "the beautiful village", is built on 55 hectares of originally arid hillside on which nothing grew. Now it is a reception centre for almost 300 displaced people from the town of Antsirabe, most of whom are without shelter. The project was launched in 2000 on the initiative of the Medima 2000 association from France and the Famonjena association of Madagascar. Resocialisation, education and vocational training designed to offer these people a future. The aim is to develop the villagers’ sense of responsibility and to promote individual or group initiatives by providing financial support for the most dynamic. Today, Tsaratanana has also become a beacon of sustainable development on several levels: the construction of homes, agriculture, a school for 10 pupils, craftsmanship in the agri-food sector, etc. Starting with the installation of a drinking water supply network. The ideal project for PVC! Since 2002, it has brought water to the village and also to a number of hamlets and a health centre in the neighbouring community. It comprises 14 km of reliable and durable pipework and an 80 m3 tank in flexible PVC which acts as a water tower and is indispensable in the dry season, equipment provided to the association by Pipelife, SolVin and Solvay.Without ignoring the many problems still to be overcome – the existing network needs to be extended and improved in light of the arrival of new families – this network has been a driving force behind the project. It enabled the families to live on the site and to grow a substantial proportion of their own food. It is recognised by the Madagascar regional authorities and will be a model for other similar projects.www.medima2000.org

CAMBODIA

Biogas and PVC for lighting and cooking without need of an open fire

While the major natural disasters which struck China, Burma and Thailand led to the large-scale mobilisation of humanitarian aid, it is important not to forget the other regions which, without being in the media spotlight, have just as much need of assistance. Cambodia, for example. In a country which is struggling to recover from 10 years of war, the population survives as best it can on rice growing and livestock farming. For lighting, 90% of people use the power from car batteries; to prepare their meals, they cook on wood fires. Wood which the women have to gather themselves and the smoke from which causes serious respiratory disease. To improve these conditions to even the smallest degree, the authorities have set up a vast national programme to equip the villages with "biodigesters" – systems which convert animal and/or human faecal matter into biogas. The process of methanisation is one of the simplest and PVC pipes play a significant part. On the one hand they are used to transport the excrement from the cesspits (often a hole behind the house) to the methanisation tank and on the other hand they take the biogas to the houses to fuel cookers and lamps. The biofuel thus produced is also the product of a closed-loop ecosystem. It provides green energy as well as transforming the dry material into fertiliser. By the end of 2009, 17,500 "biodigesters" should have been installed in

priority locations.

www.snvworld.org

THAILAND

PVC nurseries to revitalise the coral reef

The "Vinythai and Coral Cultivation using PVC Pipe Project" is a long-term project launched in 2003 by Vinythai PCL, SolVin’s Asian subsidiary. The aim was to revitalise the coral by planting over 10,000 stems in Thai waters. And not just at random, but with the support of major scientific and environmental organisations specialising in the protection of marine ecosystems… and PVC! It was discovered that by replanting the dying coral in small PVC tubes and dropping these into the sea, they not only survived but began to spread. Other organisations and governments had tried to do the same with cement blocks, concrete and tyres, but without success. The experiment has shown that PVC, owing to its "salt" origin and chemical inertness, is better tolerated by marine flora and fauna, which are very sensitive to any change in their environment. Following the success of this initiative, a new project has just been launched to restore the coral in other areas where it is at risk: "Vinythai Collaboration on Starting Coral Cultivation 80,000 Branches for His Majesty the King". www.vinythai.com g

C A S E S T U D I E S

2 8

FOCUS ON...

g The exhibition "Fantastic Plastic" at the Thackray Museum in Leeds, UK, underlines the importance of the role PCV has played in the medicine in the past and continues to play today. © Thackray Museum

2 9

FRANCE

Art Gens:when PVC is recycled as art, it is worth a mention

The association Art Gens finds a use for rubbish of all types, thought fit only for the dustbin. It also tries to raise public awareness of the need for and benefits of recycling by constantly coming up with new ways of promoting it. The attractiveness and originality of items, made from industrial scrap or postconsumer waste, allow this modern problem to be approached in an artful and positive way. Among these finds, we have already reported on the "Recycling Flowers" (see Wave 15, page 15), giant sorting bins made from recovered material, with PVC advertising posters. In the Art Gens shop and in the heads of the artists, more and more of whom are joining in this initiative, ideas come together and the collection of recycled objects based on used PVC begins seriously to expand. Something for the whole PVC sector to note: here is an excellent initiative well worth supporting, a good idea to pass on.www.artgens.net

SWITZERLAND

Switzerland shows its colours on a large scale… and in PVC

A country is not judged by its size, but by the size of its ambitions… Here our Swiss friends score highly. When the largest Swiss flag in the world fell to pieces, a victim of the ravages of time and the weather, they replaced it with a brand new one on an even larger scale: 31 metres by 31 instead of 25 by 25. And to make it last even longer, it has been completely coated in PVC. Attached to the face of Mount Rigi above the town of Vitznau and Lake Lucerne, this new flag can apparently been seen from as far away as Lucerne…www.schweizerfahne.ch/en/fact/00fact.php

P V C N E W S

GREAT BRITAIN

«Fantastic Plastic – PVC and Medical Plastics»Thackray Museum

The Thackray Medical Museum in Leeds, England, traces the history of medicine, from the most ancient methods right the way through to the very latest techniques. Although, generally speaking, the purpose of museums is to act as our world’s memory, the Thackray is slightly different in that it focuses on the latest advances in medicine. The current "Fantastic Plastic" exhibition is an excellent example of this as it aims to show how PVC is to be found wherever you look in contemporary medicine and how, when it comes down to it, PVC can save lives. This is an exhibition which goes to the very heart of the latest medical techniques with a series of interactive games helping to give a better understanding of current medicine and the importance of technological innovations. It also offers a forum for meetings and exchanges of ideas between the various worlds of patients, doctors and industrial manufacturers, who are all working together towards the same goal: curing people.www.thackraymuseum.org

© HP Gasser AG (Switzerland)

g Pencil holders made from old PVC-coated fibreglass sun blinds. © Art Gens

g Re-Ink® cheque book holders: made from scraps from canvas manufacture, printing ink residues and… a few creative workshops. © Art Gens

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SOLVINDAY IN, DAY OUT

SOLVIN RHEINBERGOur PVC production line celebrates its 50th anniversary

While PVC is everywhere in our lives today,

there are still many engineers and scientists

who can bear witness to its early steps. It is

quite something, therefore, to be celebrating

the 50th anniversary of the PVC factory in the

town of Rheinberg in North Rhine-Westphalia,

Germany.

Rheinberg is the factory that faced all the

challenges and saw all the achievements. Built

in the space of two years, in 1958 it produced

5,000 tonnes of PVC a year and employed a

workforce of 150. Today, it produces 5,000

tonnes of PVC… in less than a week. What

are the secrets of such success? A constantly

growing demand for PVC (5% a year) and

autonomy with respect to raw materials.

Rheinberg has in fact produced its own vinyl

chloride monomer (VCM) since 1974.

In 2006, performance was further enhanced

by the construction of a brand-new production

line taking capacity from 80,000 tonnes a

year to 300,000 tonnes a year. At this rate,

the sprightly 50-year-old should have plenty to

look forward to !

g 5,000 tonnes of PVC a year in 1958; 5,000 tonnes of PVC a week in 2008… At 50, the Rheinberg production line is in excellent shape!

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S O L V I N ' S D I G E S T

SOLVINArabplast 2009 – Dubai 9th International Plastics and Rubber Industry Trade Fair

With a catchment area covering the Mid-

dle East, India and North Africa, ArabPlast

welcomed over 700 exhibitors and 20,000

visitors between 10 and 13 January

2009, confirming the trade fair as the

most important in this part of the world.

SolVin had a stand under the banner of

Chempart Polymers, its agent in Egypt

and Saudi Arabia for PVC and throughout

the Middle East and Iran for PVDC. The

aim: to show its vinyl products and their

practical applications to existing and

potential customers. Even in the kingdom

of oil, access to materials which contain

half the amount of hydrocarbons arouses

universal interest.

www.arabplast.info

SOLVAY INDUPAArte & Vinil: PVCin the service of culture

Solvay Indupa, which looks after the

Brazilian and Argentine markets, has

launched a cultural project designed

to promote local artists and PVC. "Arte

& Vinil" is an open-air exhibition which

takes the form of giant cubes covered

in PVC canvasses, on which are printed

superb works by contemporary artists.

The exhibition has already been staged

successfully in April and May 2008 in

Santo André and in the historic village

of Paranapiacaba. In November and

December, it took up residence in

Cerquilho, in the State of São Paulo,

in partnership with Cipatex, Brazil’s

largest producer of laminated PVC,

and the Department of Culture of

Cerquilho. The opportunity of the

exhibition was used to organise various

activities designed to demonstrate the

many facets of PVC. Next step? Edison

Carlos, responsible for PVC Marketing

Communications at Solvay Indupa is

working on it: "The project has currently

been submitted to the Department of

Culture of the State of São Paulo with a

view to staging it in the city. If the project

is accepted, it will be a great opportunity

for Solvay Indupa to reinforce its position

as a citizen and to demonstrate the

extraordinary potential of PVC."

GROUPE SOLVAYExpoquimia 2008 – Barcelona 15th International Chemical Industry Trade Fair

Expoquimia is a major showcase for

all that is new in the world of applied

chemistry, the largest trade fair in the

Mediterranean region. An exceptional

meeting point where visitors can see

for themselves all the innovations and

advances in technology and can update

themselves on the latest trends in

the market.

The Solvay Group, as a leader in this

field, had to be part of it. Alongside

a presentation for 50 chemical

engineering students on the manufacture,

applications and markets for PVC, our

speakers stressed one of the values most

dear to the Group, namely sustainable

development. Thus Solvay endeavoured

to show the need to focus its production

taking into account the protection of the

planet as the prime requirement. Against

this background, the accent was on

PVC in particular, as the driving force for

progress and sustainable innovation.

www.expoquimia.com

g In Santé André, Paranapiacaba, Cerquilho… art finds expression in vinyl.

g Raja Wakil, Managing Director of Chempart Polymers (far right) and his team. © Chempart Polymers