Copper pipe manufacturers have produced a report citing evidence that plastic pipes can cause cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, obesity and reduced sperm count. And brain damage.
The report, Plastic Pipes, Microplastics and Impacts on Human Health, published by the Copper Sustainability Partnership (CuSP), says that we should either all be filtering our tap water before drinking it or changing plastic pipes for traditional copper.
The Copper Sustainability Partnership (CuSP) was created in 2021 by two competing copper tube manufacturers, Lawton Tubes and Mueller Europe, who have joined forces to promote the benefits of copper over plastics.
Their big marketing push last year was the assertion that plastic push-fit pipework is increasingly prone to leaks. Now they say that plastic pipes are not just likely to flood your house but could also kill you, as they degrade over time and interact with cleaning chemicals.
As PVC pipes age, the report says, they are prone to fragmentation, releasing microplastics and nanoplastics into the water, it is argued, increasing human exposure to plastic pollution, risking lungs, guts, brains and human reproduction.
Copper, on the other hand, can be “entrusted to carry nature’s most important resource, as they ensure safe drinking water thanks to their durability and corrosion-resistance”.
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