Which is ecologically higher: Concrete or plastic pipes? – TechnoNews

On behalf of the FBS (Federal Affiliation of Concrete Sewer Methods), Fraunhofer UMSICHT ready a life cycle evaluation of the environmental impression of wastewater pipes manufactured from (metal) concrete. This additionally features as an affiliation environmental product declaration (EPD-Environmental Product Declaration) and is publicly accessible by way of the ÖKOBAUDAT database (in German).

As well as, Fraunhofer UMSICHT in contrast the environmental impacts from the extraction of uncooked supplies to the recycling of drainage programs manufactured from (metal) concrete with pipelines manufactured from plastic.

Within the comparative life cycle evaluation, the researchers at Fraunhofer UMSICHT decided the carbon footprint of wastewater pipes manufactured from (metal) concrete and 4 kinds of plastic (GRP, PVC, PE, PP) throughout all out there diameter sizes.

For the fabric comparability, industrial and publicly out there environmental knowledge of assorted supplies had been used for an outlined diameter and associated to a service lifetime of 100 years.

Within the life cycle evaluation, the researchers took into consideration the power and useful resource consumption for the manufacturing, set up and use phases, together with the recycling of sewer pipes.

The info foundation for concrete and bolstered concrete pipes was collected by Fraunhofer UMSICHT as a impartial establishment from the members of the Federal Affiliation of Concrete Sewer Methods. Additional background knowledge comes from the “LCA for Experts” database and pertains to manufacturing volumes from 2021.

Carbon footprint of concrete pipes extra advantageous

The outcomes of the life cycle evaluation for a cradle-to-gate state of affairs (from uncooked materials extraction to the manufacturing facility gate) present: Whereas the distinction between the supplies within the small nominal diameter vary of 300 mm internal diameter is simply slight, concrete pipes are extra advantageous than plastic alternate options from a nominal diameter of 400 mm internal diameter.

Concrete pipes additionally present benefits within the carbon footprint in comparison with bolstered concrete pipes, though no variations within the service lifetime of the 2 supplies have been taken into consideration. If the disposal of the pipes can also be taken into consideration, concrete and bolstered concrete pipes present clear benefits over plastic pipes.

“This is because plastic pipes can presumably only be thermally recycled—i.e., incinerated. Concrete pipes could be used in part for the production of new precast concrete parts and as crushed material, for example in road construction,” explains Dr. Daniel Maga from the Sustainability and Participation division at Fraunhofer UMSICHT.

After the concrete is reused, it’s carbonated in order that extra CO₂ is sure. Nonetheless, this impact was not taken into consideration because of the uncertainty of the information.

The environmental product declaration underwent an exterior audit by the Institute for Testing and Certification of Building Merchandise, Security Expertise and Protecting Gear ift in Rosenheim.

Supplied by
Fraunhofer-Institut für Umwelt-, Sicherheits- und Energietechnik UMSICHT