Fuel from the Red Hill Naval facility on Oahu, Hawaii, leaked into a water system servicing over 90,000 residents in November 2021. As the situation evolves, Safe Piping Matters is sharing developments along with recommendations based on research studies and lessons learned from previous contamination events… more
Companies cannot continue ignoring the full impacts of the goods they produce, including depletion of unrenewable materials and pollution of the environment. Extended producer responsibility (EPR) considers these previously untracked financial and environmental costs and seeks to establish systems that will pay for them. Plastic has emerged as a prime focus of EPR initiatives. Here’s why…… more
Recent research illustrates the relationship between piping systems, wildfires, and contaminated drinking water. One key finding: plastic piping materials like polyvinyl chloride (PVC), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and polybutylene (PB) were present in distribution networks affected by contamination… more
The relationship between piping systems, wildfires, and water quality has largely been silent throughout history. Only in the past decade, have concerns been raised on how certain piping materials contaminate water supplies when melted. … more
A number of serious accidents at plastic manufacturing plants – most recently in the Houston area — have threatened communities and contaminated the environment, bringing into question whether or not the plants’ ends justify their means:
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Top Piping Safety Researcher Urges Awareness & Action on Post-Wildfire Water Contamination When wildfires rage through areas with plastic water infrastructure, populations lose access to clean drinking water due to toxic contaminants that leach from the melted pipes. In recent years, wildfires such as the Tubbs Fire (2017) in Santa Rosa and the Camp Fire … more
Study Highlights Limited Environmental Standards for Leachable Substances into Drinking Water A new study conducted by Gradient, an environmental and risk sciences consulting firm, examined the chemical composition of six commonly used commercial construction plastic piping materials and identified their leaching potential. A total of 163 substances were identified in these piping materials, of which … more