Walker
Fundamentals # 2006 Washington DC
Arguably the greatest human needs and environmental challenges facing mankind involve water and sanitation. According to statistics gathered by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) about 1.2 billion people — one- fifth of the world population — lack safe drinking water and twice as many have no sanitation. All of us require clean water and adequate sanitation to live and function productively. Pipes are needed to efficiently deliver water and collect wastewater. In order to provide sustainable water and wastewater systems, it is important to use pipes that are; ? ? ? ? ? Strong and durable, Safe and clean, Easy to join, install and repair, Require little or no maintenance, and Can be recycled at the end of their useful life. These sustainability attributes have resulted in the selection of plastic pipes and fittings. PVC is one of the first polymers to be developed into durable pipes and construction products that are essential to a sustainable society. The PVC industry and its products make important contributions to sustainable development, helping to conserve natural resources, improve people’s lives, and contribute to economic capacity building in both developing and developed nations around the world. The paper will address the needs for sustainable, corrosion- free pipes and document the fulfillment of those needs through the use of PVC pipe.