01
2 vs 10
truck trips
Two trucks instead of ten.
One truck carries about 320 feet of corrugated HDPE pipe. The same truck carries 64 feet of 30 inch reinforced concrete pipe. A 640 foot job takes 2 trips in HDPE and 10 in concrete.
vs concrete
The sustainable choice: plastic pipe over concrete
Fewer truck trips, a smaller carbon footprint, and recycled plastic put to work. Here are the facts behind plastic drainage pipe, straight from the research. Fratco has made corrugated pipe since 1926 at five plants across the Midwest and Alabama.
2 vs 10truck trips for the same 640 ft job, HDPE vs concrete
45%less greenhouse gas than reinforced concrete (sewer pipe studies)
600M lbof recycled resin used in pipe each year
02
45%
lower greenhouse gas
Less carbon than concrete or iron.
Recent studies estimate plastic sewer pipe produces about 45% less greenhouse gas than reinforced concrete and 35% less than ductile iron.
vs concrete
03
Lowest
environmental impact
Lowest impact for drainage pipe.
A life cycle assessment found that drainage pipe made with recycled HDPE has the lowest environmental impact of any drainage pipe material on the market.
HDPE
04
600M lb
recycled resin a year
Recycled plastic puts in real work.
The plastic pipe industry uses nearly 600 million pounds of recycled resin every year to make non pressure pipe. No other industry puts that much waste plastic back to use.
Industry
05
Recyclable
after a long service life
Recyclable after decades of service.
HDPE pipe is a high quality source of recycled material at end of life. It is one of the most widely recycled plastics, and using it to make new products saves resources, energy, water and landfill space.
HDPE
06
Less
energy to make
Takes less energy to make.
Plastic pipe needs less energy to produce than metal pipe, which is one reason it is widely seen as a sustainable choice.
Plastic pipe
07
100+
years of service
Built to last 100 years or more.
Plastic pipe does not corrode over time. Properly specified and installed, it can stay in service for more than 100 years.
Plastic pipe
08
Lower
cost, less theft
Lower material cost. Less jobsite theft.
Plastic pipe costs less than metal and has little scrap value, so there is less reason to steal it. It is light and flexible, so it installs faster with fewer skilled workers.
Plastic pipe
09
Built in
corrosion resistance
Stands up to corrosion and chemicals.
Plastic pipe resists corrosion and common chemicals at a wide range of temperatures and concentrations, so it does not break down in service.
Plastic pipe
10
Lowest
life cycle cost
Lowest life cycle cost.
Across installation, maintenance and repair, plastic pipe had the lowest overall life cycle cost of commonly used pipe materials in North America. HDPE low failure and water loss rates add long term savings.
Plastic pipe
11
0
failures in Japan quakes
Toughest when the ground moves.
HDPE pipe is the most resilient pipe against ground movement and earthquakes. In Japan, polyethylene piping showed zero failures through multiple earthquakes, with no damage from ground movement, shaking or liquefaction.
HDPE
12
1.6M
miles in gas service
More than 1.6 million miles in service.
Plastic gas mains and services totaled more than 1.6 million miles in 2023, and the total keeps growing every year.
Plastic pipe
13
Buried
service you can trust
Made for life underground.
Plastic pipe is one of the most commonly used and trusted materials for underground water, sewer and storm lines. Wastewater microorganisms create acid that dissolves steel and corrodes ductile iron. Plastic pipe does not.
Plastic pipe
14
99%
lower ignition risk
First line of defense for power and data.
Plastic conduit protects power and communications cables from windstorms, ice storms, fires and other disasters. Locations with underground power lines saw a 99% decrease in ignition risk.
HDPE
15
NSF 61
drinking water standard
Passes the toughest drinking water tests.
Plastic pipe systems for drinking water meet NSF/ANSI/CAN 61, one of the most stringent standards in the plumbing industry and a code requirement for anything that touches drinking water.
Plastic pipe
16
Smooth
less biofilm buildup
A smooth wall keeps biofilm down.
Biofilm is less likely to build up on smooth plastic pipe walls. Researchers found drinking water biofilms grow less on PE and PVC than on cast iron and galvanized steel.
Plastic pipe
17
10.5M
rural locations on fiber
Connects communities, from water to broadband.
HDPE conduit protects buried fiber optic cable and makes it easier to install. As of June 2024, 10.5 million rural locations can be served by fiber.
HDPE
18
75%
of utilities, corrosive soil
Corrosion costs money. Plastic avoids it.
In a U.S. and Canada study, 75% of utilities reported areas with corrosive soil. Where plastic pipe was used, the breakage rate was lower than steel, because plastic is immune to galvanic corrosion.
Plastic pipe
19
Worldwide
approved for use
Proven around the world.
Plastic pipe is approved for water distribution, consumer products and medical applications worldwide. It meets or exceeds U.S. and Canadian safe drinking water requirements and is the pipe of choice in sensitive environments.
Plastic pipe
20
Less
methane leakage
Fewer leaks, fewer emissions.
HDPE gas piping joins by heat fusion into one continuous system with leak free connections, which helps reduce methane emissions.
HDPE
21
Smooth
interior flow
Smooth inside. Faster flow.
A smooth interior wall reduces friction and improves flow. That improves water movement and cuts energy use across the system.
Plastic pipe
22
60%+
of U.S. gas distribution
Carries over 60% of U.S. distribution gas.
Plastic pipe now makes up more than 60% of gas distribution piping in the U.S., and it is replacing aging cast and wrought iron lines.
Plastic pipe
23
Resists
disinfectants
Holds up to chemicals and disinfectants.
Plastic pipe is unaffected by chlorine and chloramines used to treat public water, so it keeps its strength in service.
Plastic pipe
24
Freeze
tolerant
Handles cold weather.
Plastic pipe stays flexible in freezing temperatures and can withstand frozen water without breaking. Its insulating wall also reduces heat transfer.
Plastic pipe
25
Low
thermal conductivity
Keeps hot water hot.
Plastic pipe has lower thermal conductivity than metal, which reduces heat loss in hot water systems.
Plastic pipe
26
Flexible
fewer joints
Flexes with the ground and the plan.
Flexible plastic pipe absorbs ground movement and last minute changes in plans. It also needs fewer joints, which speeds installation.
Plastic pipe
27
49 of 50
states accept NSF
Safe for drinking water.
Plastic pipe provides safe drinking water. 49 of 50 U.S. states and 11 of 13 Canadian provinces and territories treat NSF testing as the benchmark for safe public drinking water.
Plastic pipe
28
Preferred
and often required
Preferred, and often required.
Municipal, industrial and commercial projects accept, prefer and often require plastic pipe for water, wastewater, electrical conduit and fire suppression.
Plastic pipe
29
10M
quality control tests
Safe and reliable, test after test.
More than 40,000 North American water utilities use plastic pipe, and it makes up 78% of new drinking water distribution pipe. About 10 million quality control tests confirm it is safe for public health.
Plastic pipe
30
0
phthalates in rigid pipe
No phthalates in rigid plastic pipe.
Rigid plastic pipe certified by NSF contains no phthalates or phthalate plasticizers, in line with EPA regulations.
Plastic pipe
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Sources: findings compiled by the plastic pipe industry associations (Plastics Pipe Institute, Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association, Uni-Bell PVC Pipe Association) and published at plasticpipetruth.org. Fratco reworded them. Tags show scope: HDPE means the finding is about HDPE or corrugated HDPE, Plastic pipe means it covers plastic pipe in general, including materials Fratco does not make. Fratco manufactures corrugated HDPE (Smooth-Corr) and polypropylene (Pro-Corr) drainage pipe. Confirm specifications and product fit for your project with Fratco.
Fratco, Inc. | fratco.com