VIEWPOINT CREATING A BETTER
THROUGHOUT HISTORY, COPPER has played a key part in innovating and bringing about change, new opportunities and technologies. Today, it is used in many different industries including healthcare, automotive and electronics, and is most commonly used in construction and plumbing.
In the built environment, the demand for sustainable housing is growing, with the government taking steps to prioritise environmentally friendly construction. Copper pipe has long been the material of choice when installing water, heating and cooling systems and is the ideal product to use in buildings as we seek to reduce water and electricity use.
Despite this, plastic pipe has become increasingly prevalent in recent years as builders and installers are looking to substitute for cheaper alternatives. Homeowners and self-builders too, have been following this trend.
Why copper? The Copper Sustainability Partnership (CuSP) works to combat the over-use of plastics in the plumbing industry and elsewhere, finding a way forward that works with our natural world. Born from the growing demand for sustainability and longevity in construction and plumbing, its aim is to champion the environmental benefits of using copper in built environments.
In order to stand up against the inaccuracies of the plastics greenwash and improve the quality of construction and plumbing materials used, the industry needs to challenge norms and break the mould. Greater environmental thinking needs to be achieved and builders’
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merchants can contribute to this by establishing copper as the driving force for a better future. For many, copper has long been hailed the professional choice when it comes to building and plumbing. It offers hard- to-rival electrical and thermal conductivity, is corrosion resistant, and has anti-microbial benefits. It is a tough yet malleable material which can easily be joined, recycled, and made into alloys, which enables a multitude of further benefits and uses. Importantly it is also a material that supports the environment. The International Copper Association estimates approximately two thirds of the copper produced since 1900 is still in circulation, available for use today, and it can be recycled an infinite number of times without losing its properties. Manufacturers are also making great strides to become 100% self-sufficient, constantly increasing the proportion of
reclaimed materials used to make new pipe, phasing out the need for traditional mining and further improving its sustainability credentials. The same can’t be said for the plastics industry, as the Resource Efficiency Collective states fewer than 3% of the plastics consumed in the UK are made of local recycled plastics.
Taking a stand against plastics
During the last 25 years, plastic has become increasingly prevalent in the built environment. For example, in buildings developed before the 1990s, copper plumbing fixtures would have been the norm but now, nearly all new-build homes use plastic pipes both in underfloor and plumbing applications. This transition is down to the plastics industry focusing on the benefits while downplaying the environmental impact and greatly exaggerating its recyclability. However, despite industry
FUTURE, PIPE BY PIPE Andrew Surtees, Director, Mueller Europe, founding member of Copper Sustainability Partnership.
claims that plastic pipes are fully recyclable, in practice they are still not being recycled. In fact, National Geographic reports that 91% of all plastics produced globally have not been recycled. One reason why many plastic pipes aren’t being recycled is because they aren’t practically recyclable. For instance, multi-layer plastic pipe (MLP), consisting of layers of plastic and aluminium, is a prime example of tube that simply isn’t practical to recycle, as separating plastic and metal layers adds complexity to recycling that is cost prohibitive. Likewise, plastic compounds such as polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), and cross- linked polyethylene (PEX) all deteriorate over time, making them less and less suitable for recycling.
The copper solution Copper is a material which can offer far more for the environment and the people it serves. Unlike many alternatives, copper can be re-used and recycled infinitely without losing any of its properties and value and, as a result of this, around half of Europe’s copper demand is currently being met by recycled materials.
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to builders, self-builders, and homeowners and is a key focus right across the construction sector. With this in mind, many are relying on the expertise of builders’ merchants to offer information around the most suitable product and copper is perfectly positioned to help meet this demand for sustainability. It is the perfect solution for now and future generations, with the ability to play a vital role in creating a better future for the built environment. BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net September 2021
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