Advantages

Plastic piping materials vary greatly in their characteristics and properties. These differences benefit the consumer in two ways:

1. Through proper design, each plastic raw material can be properly utilized and controlled by ASTM Standards.

2. A competitive market exists within the plastic pipe industry because the characteristics and properties of different plastic materials often overlap in piping applications.

Plastic piping materials are designed and selected to satisfy the requirements of the application for which they are to be used. When used in piping applications, plastic materials must withstand decades of stress. Plastic pipe manufacturers test their products for short-term and long-term use. These tests provide the designer with the information required in the selection of a plastic piping material for a particular application.

Thermoplastic piping products are cost-effective solutions to a variety of piping applications and offer many advantages when compared to traditional metal piping materials. Some of these features, which have spurred the widespread acceptance of plastic piping materials for many applications, are:

Corrosion resistance: Plastic piping materials are corrosion resistant and have low flow resistance. Plastic piping systems resist most normal household chemicals and many other substances that might enter a sanitary drainage system. The smooth wall of plastic pipe makes the transport of wastes and water more efficient and effective. Thermoplastic piping materials do not rust or corrode, and resist chemical attack from corrosive soils.

Ease of handling: Plastic piping materials are much lighter than...