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Cast iron pipe and fittings are not only superior when it comes to drain, waste and vent piping systems, they are made from 96% recycled content. Millions of tons of scrap iron has been recycled over the last several decades to produce this durable product. Cast iron has been, and in some cases, is still in use after over a hundred years.
Another environmental benefit of cast iron systems occur during installation. Since no cleaning fluids or solvent cements are needed, the exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is eliminated. For underground installation, cast iron piping can handle earth load with no deflection. This means there is less digging on the front end and a trench can be as narrow as an installer decides.
RePVC® Piping System is the first PVC DWV pipe that uses recycled content. Recycled content makes up at least 30% of the pipe, while the inner and outer skins are made from virgin materials. It is a coextruded, solid-wall Schedule 40 pipe.
While it has a green print line to highlight it being environmentally friendly, RePVC® has the same benefits as other PVC piping systems. It is lightweight, easy to install and non-toxic. RePVC is manufactured to ASTM D 4396, ASTM F 1760 and is NSF® listed. Click here for more information on RePVC®.
ReUze®: CPVC, Non-Potable Water Indoor Piping System
ReUze® gives engineers and others in the green/sustainability industry a practical, easy-to-install system for non-potable water uses inside of commercial and residential buildings. The use of non-potable water can contribute up to 10 LEED points on a project, an astounding 25% of the points needed to achieve a LEED certified building. Available points are higher if any of these credits are deemed a regional priority by the USGBC regional council or chapter.
ReUze ® is manufactured using the highest quality CPVC compound along with a purple pigment and is marked with two lines of type clearly identifying the contents as “WARNING: NON-POTABLE WATER DO NOT DRINK”. The type is 180° apart so that no matter what angle you view the piping system there can be no mistake that the pipe is carrying non-potable water. Click here for more information on ReUze ®.
Background
- A trend toward environmentally sustainable building practices has grown in recent years. The U.S. government requires that federal government projects use green building practices. Many state and local agencies also offer incentives to encourage the construction of green buildings.
- The Green Building Council administers a certification program called the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building rating system (LEED). There are four LEED certification levels depending on the number of points achieved by the building – from the planning stages, through construction to building completion, and even into the building’s useful life. Points are awarded in six different categories, including Materials and Resources.
- In April 2005, Big Builder magazine reported that the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) issued a new set of voluntary guidelines to help builders construct more green buildings.
- In addition to its product offerings, Charlotte Pipe is a major recycler in the state of North Carolina. Each year, we save more than 350 million pounds of scrap iron and steel from overcrowded landfills. We also operate our own water treatment facility to recycle and re-use 100% of our process water. Charlotte Pipe received a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Blue Thumb Award in 2000 and a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Environmental Excellence in Industry Award in 2001 and in 2007 for our continued efforts to reduce our demand for city water and for recycling 100 percent of our treated process water.
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