New Report Warns About Human Health Risks From PVC Pipes Used in Drinking Water Systems
Emily Le Coz | April 18, 2023 | USA Today
A report released Tuesday by a coalition of U.S. environmental advocacy groups warned of the health risks of PVC plastic and urged public officials against using the material in community drinking water pipes.
PVC is made with vinyl chloride, the same hazardous material released in the fiery train derailment that triggered a public health and environmental crisis in East Palestine, Ohio. It's also a known carcinogen and endocrine disruptor.
Yet, because of its relatively low cost, PVC – polyvinyl chloride – has become a popular option for communities replacing old drinking water pipes and, in particular, the old lead pipes and service lines that carry their own public health risks. In 2021, the Biden Administration allocated $15 billion through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for communities coast to coast to replace lead service lines.
The report's contributors criticized the EPA for issuing no guidance on which piping materials should be used for such projects.
"In the months and years ahead, this new federal money will be flowing to state and local governments, and it's unfortunate the EPA is not providing any guidance on what is a safe substitute for lead service line pipes," said Judith Enck, a former regional EPA administrator and the president of Beyond Plastics, a nonprofit environmental group based at Bennington College, Vermont.
Beyond Plastics released the report along with two other nonprofit environmental advocacy groups – Environmental Health Sciences and the Plastic Pollution Coalition.
The EPA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of vinyl chloride in aerosols in 1974, but the chemical is still used in other products and remains a key component in PVC pipes.
The global PVC pipe market is on the rise, fueled in part by the increasing demand for PVC pipes in water, sewage and irrigation projects, according to several industry trend reports.
