A 2019 International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) statement highlighted that plastic piping is a dangerous material in construction that causes airborne and waterborne contamination. Additionally, the IAFF notes that gasses released from plastics can cause long-term health risks to workers exposed to these products… more
Developers, builders, and code officials need to reduce and restrict the use of plastics installed in buildings before they cause harm to either firefighters or building occupants… more
Are Plastic Pipes Safe? Piping material within a building plays a more critical role in safety than one might think, and homeowners, building owners, and contractors need to be aware of how piping material directly affects the safety of building occupants. Cheap piping made of PEX and PVC have become increasingly popular, appearing in over … more
No Paradise: Water Contamination Demonstrates Importance of Safe Piping After the tragic Camp Fire in Paradise, California, the region’s drinking water became contaminated when heat-damaged plastic pipes leached chemicals into the water supply. Testing found high amounts of benzene, above 500 parts per billion (ppb) in the water, grossly higher than CA’s limit of 1 … more
Study: In Fires, Toxic Smoke from Plastic Can Doom Occupants By Kevin O’Connor The construction industry goes to great lengths to reduce the likelihood of fires, designing for safety and implementing extensive fire warning and suppression systems. Building professionals can make structures even safer by paying attention to materials. When fires do occur, evidence increasingly … more
Impacts of Pipe Leaching on Water Chemical interactions between water and piping materials — typically oxidation — and the principles of osmosis mean all piping materials leach substances into water to some degree. Some materials are far safer than others, however. For example, lead pipes and fittings have emerged as a serious public health threat … more
Drinking Water and Plumbing After the Camp Fire By Julie Jenks, active volunteer at the Camp Fire Zone Project and Biology Instructor at Butte College About the Event Experts in plumbing and engineering from Purdue University held a community event entitled “Drinking Water and Plumbing After the Camp Fire” on Thursday June 27, 2019 at … more
Are Copper Pipes Safe? When considering piping options, a material’s safety should be a primary consideration along with reliability, durability and other performance factors. As a long-standing option for piping, it’s important for contractors, building owners, homeowners and municipal officials to understand how a material like copper measures up in terms of health, safety and … more
Study: Majority of Leached Substances Are Carcinogenic, Toxic, or Unregulated A recent study from Gradient identified 163 substances that leach from plastic piping systems into potable water. These include proven carcinogens and reproductive toxins, as well as many unregulated chemicals with unknown impacts. What Piping Materials Leach Chemicals? The study analyzed and concluded that all … more
Disinfectants Cause Odorous Chemicals to Leach from Plastic Piping Piping and distribution systems can have a direct effect on the taste, odor and quality of drinking water. While North America’s water supply may be more secure than other parts of the world, water quality threats are still present. Nearly two-thirds of water resource experts characterize … more