PIPES
The benefi ts and sustainability of copper
As a population, we have become increasingly aware of the environmental impacts of our actions. More and more sustainable practices have been implemented in recent years, from the government introducing new regulations to households making a more concentrated eff ort to recycle. Alongside these practices, the role of plumbing and engineering merchants cannot be overstated when it comes to sustainability and the circular economy. To help professionals within the trades better understand this role, Lawton Tubes and the Copper Sustainability Partnership (CuSP) look at the importance of proactive sustainability and the responsibility of merchants in supporting a circular supply chain within the industry.
Two
prominent safety
standards that play a pivotal role in this regard are the IEC 60335 and EN378 standards. While both aim to
safeguard consumers and the
environment, they address distinct facets of safety and carry unique requirements.
T
he traditional consumption model sees resources fi rstly made into products, then the products are used, and fi nally they become waste at the end of life,
resulting in more debris being sent to landfi ll and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast, the circular economy reduces material use,
redesigns products to be more effi cient and transforms products at the end of their life to be used again. Within the trades, the circular model works at its best with the use of metals that are suitable to be reused or melted down to be remade into an entirely new product. A prime example of this is copper, which is infi nitely recyclable. Copper is considered to be one of the most
environmentally friendly metals due to its remarkable durability. It is estimated that around 80% of all copper produced in the last 10,000 years is still in use today. Moreover, recycling copper consumes 15% to 40% less energy than producing it from scratch, making it feasible to reuse.
The metal has protection against corrosion as it has a
naturally occurring fi lm that forms on the surface, making it especially suitable for use in various rural, marine and industrial environments. It is also an excellent conductor of heat and electricity, making it more effi cient during energy transfer. The surface area of copper heats up evenly and is a slow radiator, allowing it to retain heat for longer. This means less energy is used to heat a system, which reduces costs and has less of an impact on the environment. Known to be one of the fi rst metals to be used by humans, copper has been used over centuries for diff erent
24 April 2024 •
www.acr-news.com
applications, ranging from HVAC solutions to health care – the function of copper is endless! Not only is copper durable, but the metal is also extremely tough yet malleable and ductile. This means that it can be quickly joined, stretched and recycled. Due to its molecular structure, copper can be reshaped to fi t tight, intricate spaces without breaking. Naturally antimicrobial, copper is resistant to bacteria, viruses, and fungi, as it releases oxidising atoms when microbes land on its surface, pulling electrons from the atoms that make up the cell wall and ultimately killing the microbe.
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