Our site uses cookies necessary for its proper functioning. To improve your experience, other cookies may be used: you can choose to disable them. This can be changed at any time via the Cookies link at the bottom of the page.


PE technical guidance
HDPE Pipe technical guidance (High quality Polyethylene Pipes)
 

Does PE pipe support microbiological growth?

Quick access

Microbiological or microbial growth (biofilm) on the surface of components in a water supply system is likely to occur irrespective of the material used. Treatment of water with chlorine or other substances may contribute to a significant decrease.

The conditions or mechanism for formation of this biofilm are not fully understood, nor why some materials appear to support greater levels of growth. However it is generally accepted that this is unrelated to water quality at the tap. Studies carried out by PlasticsEurope indicate that the amount of cells present in the water is unrelated to the amount of biofilm formed on the internal surfaces of pipes.

As a safeguard several European countries have well established methods for assessing materials for support of microbial growth, and plastics including PE100 which meet other requirements for water quality have no difficulty in meeting such requirements.

Last update Thursday 31 May 2018

Members of the Association

BOREALISBOROUGEFormosa Plastics CorporationHanwha TotalEnergiesINEOS O&PIRPCKorea Petrochemical IND. Co., LTD (KPIC)LyondellBasellORLEN UnipetrolPetroChina Dushanzi Petrochemical CompanyPRIME POLYMERSABICSCG Chemicals & Thai PolyethyleneSinopecTASNEE