Plastic Pipes Conference Association # 2023 Lake Buena Vista
Peter Sejersen, Ilari Aho
European standardization of plastic pipe systems has been on the agenda since the eighties and almost all applications are now described in common European standards. An important expectance however is the hygienic requirements of pipes for drinking water: Most of the EU Member States currently do not coordinate their implementation efforts. The result is a multitude of different national requirements for the marketing of materials and articles in contact with drinking water. As of today, more than 15 different certification and test organizations within the European Union regulate the products and materials suitable for use with drinking water. The industry is therefore challenged by lack of coordination which makes trade across boarders difficult and expensive.
To support a future European harmonization an alliance of European associations representing the industries which manufacture and supply products that are used in drinking water applications was establish. The members of the initiative called „European Drinking Water “ /2/, include representatives from the pipe-, pump-, valve-, tap-, fitting-, seal-, meter-, water heater and water treatment equipment-industry, i.e. the entire industry supply chain ranging from the raw materials suppliers to water distribution. It is a high priority area for the manufacturer of plastic pipes and TEPPFA and its members are therefore deeply involved in the project.
The EDW has since 2015 advocated for establishing a European harmonization in connection to the revision of the Drinking Water Directive. The effort was successful and in January 2021 the new EU Drinking Water Directive came into force with a decision to set-up uniform requirements for materials in contact with drinking water. The regulation is described in see Article 11 "Minimum hygiene requirements for materials that come into contact with water intended for human consumption".
The regulation is right now being rolled out, and the 4MSI system, based on the principles of positive lists will be the foundation for common European certification scheme.
The paper will describe the process, the principles in the 4MSI system, the expected timeline as well as the position that EDW and the plastic pipe industry have.
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