The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) has announced that all PVC pipes manufactured in South Africa have to be free of heavy metals by July 2015.

The technical committee of the SABS Standards Division has amended a series of standards to ensure that all heavy metal stabilisers are removed in the manufacturing of PVC Pipes. SABS-certified local manufacturers of PVC pipes have a period of 24 months as of 30 October 2013 to comply with the new standard requirements. All pipes bearing the SABS mark of quality will have to be resubmitted for testing before new permits will be issued.

South African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA) chairperson Jan Venter said that the association welcomes the SABS’s decision. According to Venter, SAPPMA voluntary removed heavy metal stabilisers from PVC pipes in 2006 because it added value to the company’s life cycle thinking and took into account end-of-life issues and waste management options.

SAPPMA’s policy, which was based on health and environmental considerations, was fully implemented in July 2009 and applied to drinking water systems as well as sewer, drainage and mine pipes.

According to Venter, although lead does not leach from plastic pipes and does not pose any danger to people once installed, lead poisoning does pose a risk for manufacturers.

SABS Gauteng Certification general manager Sibongile Dhlamini says: “In the interest of the consumer and good business practice, the SABS strongly promotes the highest possible product quality standards as well as environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and materials. We therefore urge companies to ensure they comply and begin the process of removing heavy metals from their manufacturing process, if they have not yet done so.”