FOCUS ON PLASTICS – UTILITIES
Plastics are increasingly used in utilities applications – gas, water, telecommunications, etc. They offer reliability due to leak-free delivery of services, and maximum efficiency due to the smooth bores of plastics pipes. Plastic pipes and fittings have a non-porous structure and are non-corrodible all of which means that there is minimal slime build up or scaling. Flexibility of plastics is also a factor making them less susceptible to fracture with movement of the surrounding soil. The durability of plastic materials means that the life expectancy is often greater than 100 years.
The other big advantage is the light weight of plastic products making transportation and installation not only easier but also more environmentally friendly. One further advantage is that they can be colour coordinated for the relevant service, for example yellow for gas, blue for water, green for fibre optic cables, etc.