Asbestos Cement Pressure Pipes Compelling Choice for Developing Nations'

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Asbestos Cement Pressure PipesCompelling Choice
for Developing Nations.

• Presented by
• Kalani Industries Ltd., Indore.

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WHAT IS ASBESTOS

• meaning Indestructible
• natural fibre in Earth, air , water and food
• natural sources release more fibres
• breathe and drink

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What is Asbestos ?

• The Commercial term Asbestos refers to a group
  of fibrous minerals that have high tensile
  strength, conduct heat poorly and are fire
  resistant. Chrysotile variety accounts for over
  95 of world Asbestos trade compare to other two
  principal forms of Asbestos being Amosite and
  Crocidolite.

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Countries Producing Chrysotile Fibre

• Canada
• Brazil
• Russia CIS States
• Zimbabwe
• China
• South Africa

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History and Current Use of A.C.Pipes

• In use since early 1900s.
• Use of A.C.Pipe increased from 3,20,000km in 1950
  to about 32,00,000km today.
• Being Virtually used in every Country
  Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Columbia, Cyprus,
  Egypt, France, Ghana, Greece, India, Indonesia,
  Israel, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco,
  Mozambique, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Peru,
  Philippines, Portugal, Russia, South Africa,
  Spain, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, USA, Zambia,
  Zimbabwe

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Properties of different types of Pipes at a Glance
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Properties of different types of Pipes at a Glance
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Advantages of A.C.Pressure Pipe

• Strength and Durability
• Non Corrosives
• Non Tuberculating
• Immunity from Electrolysis
• Thermal Insulation
• Impermeability
• Low Frictional Loss

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Advantages of A.C.Pressure Pipe

• Light Weight
• Tight Flexible Joints
• Fewer Specials
• Fewer Joints
• Easy Service Connection
• Cost Effective and Lower Operating CostNo Health
  Hazard
• Easy Installation

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Resistance of A.C. Pipe to Corrosive Soil
Conditions

• Non-metallic hence
• non-corrosive

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A.C.Pressure Pipe is Cost Effective

• Lower Building Equipment Cost
• Easy Raw Material Availability Price Stability
• Creates Jobs Saves Energy
• Ease of Installation
• Durability means Lower Operating Cost

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A.C.Pressure Pipe - The only Logical Alternative

• Using A.C.Pipes makes sound economic sense
  because
• Easy Raw Material Availability
• Stability in Price
• Creates More Jobs for Local Economic
• Energy Efficient
• Inexpensive to Manufacture Install
• Dependable Durable

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Compelling Choice for Developing Nations

• The acute shortage of decent shelter, pipe borne
  potable water, effective drainage and waste
  disposal system and irrigation facilities for
  reasonable large scale farming in developing
  countries make the use of Asbestos Cement
  Products a compelling choice for these nations.
• Dr. N.A.Okere, Medical Consultant, Nigeria

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The significance of Asbestos in Drinking Water
and the use of Asbestos Cement Pipes
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Main Alternatives

• Concrete
• Plastics
• Metals

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Main Technical issues about A.C.

• As compared to alternatives
• Are they (AC) Safer ?
• Are they more Useful ?
• Are they more Acceptable ?

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Safer / Eco-friendly ?

• Perceived as a hazard but the truth is almost the
  opposite.
• Asbestos Cement (both the Technology Products)
  very safe and Eco-friendly.

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Reliable organisations

• WHO (World Health Organisation)
• UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)
• ILO (International Labour Organisation)
• ISO (International Standards Orgn.)
• IARC (International Agency for Research on
  Cancer)

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Myths about use of A.C.Pressure Pipes
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Health Hazard
Myths

• Carcinogenic Effect

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State Health Department of California

• The following Chemicals present no significant
  risk of Cancer by the route of ingestion
  Asbestos
• CA Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act
  of 1986

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State Regulations of California in Year 1986
Myths

• For ingestion, the regulation state that Asbestos
  presents no significant risk of cancer

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Air monitoring Study in California in the year
1990 of the Twenty-nine Palms Water Districts
pipe water distribution system
Myths
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State Health Department of California

• The use of Asbestos Cement Pipe has not been
  demonstrated to be a health threat. And,
  California Waterworks Standards allow for the
  use of Asbestos Cement Pipe. The health effects
  associated with asbestos have been the result of
  inhalation of Fibers.
• CA Department of Health Services
• dated February 25, 1988
• The study concluded that through evaporation
  from their swamp coolers, to the air in their
  homes, no such contribution of asbestos fibers
  was found.

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State Health Department of Texas

• This Department is not aware of any increased
  health risk related to the use of this product
  (A.C.Pipe) and routinely approves engineering
  submittals calling for A.C. Pipe.
• Texas Department of Health Services
• dated March 21, 1988

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Health Hazard (Carcinogenic Effect)

• Fact
• In 1989, EPA prohibited A.C.Pipe w.e.f. August,26
  1996
• In 1991, US Courts reversed the prohibition.
• In 1991, EPA issued final drinking water
  standards, wherein A.C. Pipe was allowed

• Myth
• Use of A.C.Pressure Pipe Banned in the US.

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EPAs Ban

• In 1989 EPA (USA) banned Asbestos.
• The public panic flared
• And still unaware that

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The US Courts (Fifth Circuit)

• In 1991 vacated reversed this EPAs ban
• As EPAs analysis unscientific Incomplete !
• Alternatives plastics metals posed larger risks

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Banning Asbestos will Do More Harm Than Good
Myths

• EPA conceded that
• The risk posed by Asbestos substitutes, such as
  PVC and ductile Iron pipe, were far greater than
  those posed by A.C. Pipe.

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Banning Asbestos will Do More Harm Than Good
Myths

• The US court observed that
• In comparison (Inhalation of Asbestos Fibre),
  that more lives were lost every year in the US
  from the ingestion of toothpicks.
• Extremely high cost of banning Asbestos in
  relation to the trivial benefits was unreasonable
  in comparison to other regulations and other
  measures for reducing health risks.

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Myths

• World Bank has discounted granting loans for
  Projects where A.C.material is used.

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US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Year
1991
Myths

• Asbestos is not classified as a carcinogen in
  the regulations because (the Agency) has
  determined it is carcinogenic only when inhaled,
  not ingested.
• EPA News Release dated January 7, 1991 on
  Drinking Water Contaminants Rule

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US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Year
1989

• EPA does not believe that installed A.C. Pipe
  should be replaced or that its use should be
  discontinued.
• U.S. Federal Register dated July 12, 1989

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A.C.Pipe Makes a Resurgence in the U.S.

• After several years of uncertainty the overturn
  of the ban on Asbestos products in the US, is
  beginning to revitalize its Asbestos Cement Pipe
  Industry.

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A.C.Pipe Makes a Resurgence in the U.S.

• In June of 1992, the West San Bernadino Water
  District officially announced that because of the
  reversal of the EPA ban, it will henceforth
  return A.C. Pipe to its specifications and
  sanction its installation.

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A.C.Pipe Makes a Resurgence in the U.S.

• Several other city water agencies have followed
  suit with similar announcements, and many more
  are considering returning A.C. Pipe to their
  specifications.

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A.C.Pipe Makes a Resurgence in the U.S.

• The Bureau of Reclamation, a long time user of
  A.C. Pipe and a US Government agency has revoked
  its moratorium on its installation and has
  returned it to its material specification list.

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Results of the study conducted by Industrial
Toxicology Research Centre, Lucknow for
C.P.H.E.E.O. Ministry of Urban Affairs
Employment, Government of India
Myths

• Hence they (Asbestos Pipes) are not likely to
  pose any health hazard

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Reply of WHO regarding the myth on the health
hazard of Asbestos in A.C.Pressure Pipe
Myths

• While inhaled Asbestos is a known Carcinogen,
  there is no evidence that asbestos has any
  adverse effect on human health when ingested with
  drinking water
• Press release WHO/17 dt.21Feb.94

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Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality by WHO
(Year 1993)
Myths

• There is no consistent evidence that ingested
  asbestos is hazardous to health, and it has thus
  been concluded that there is no need to
  establish a health based guideline value for
  asbestos in drinking water

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The World Health Organisation(WHO) Year 1993
Myths

• No consistent evidence that ingested asbestos is
  hazardous to health

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World Health Organisation(WHO) in recent years
Myths

• There is no Public health risk associated with
  Water born exposure and it is appropriate to use
  Asbestos Cement Pipes for water supply networks.

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World Health Organisation(WHO) in 1993 in
Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality
Myths

• Listed Asbestos as one of three Chemicals not of
  health significance at concentrations normally
  found in drinking water.

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World Health Organisation(WHO) in 1993 in
Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality
Myths

• It is unnecessary to recommend a health-based
  guideline value for these compounds (asbestos,
  silver and tin) because they are not hazardous to
  human health at concentrations normally found in
  drinking water.

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World Health Organisation(WHO) in recent years
Myths

• I would like to confirm the position of the
  organisation concerning the use of such pipes for
  drinking water supply. Research findings up to
  date are too inconclusive to demonstrate a health
  effect from ingested asbestos fibres via drinking
  water

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World Health Organisation(WHO) in recent years
Myths

• ...Consequently, we consider it appropriate to
  continue the use of such pipes for water supply
  networks. Their use is particularly important in
  the case of developing countries where they
  constitute an economical construction material
  for supply networks.
• Dr. R. Helmer, WHO, Division of Environmental
  Health

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WHO (1999 - 2000)

• Asbestos Cement Industry Products are both
  Highly Eco-friendly
• health-based guideline is not needed for asbestos
  in drinking water.
• gt Health Risk ratios in plastics / metals

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ISO 14001 (1998-2000)

• for Asbestos Cement Industry and
• even Asbestos fibre mining processing Industry

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IARC (1995 )

• Plastics, metals, metallurgy are listed as Main
  carcinogenic industries but not Asbestos Cement
  nor asbestos mining,
• Mud Houses ?
• However AC allowed !

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ATSDR (US Govt. 1999-2000)

• Plastics, metals
• 20 most hazardous substances
• Asbestos is not amongst these !

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USA Today (Feb 1999)

• Incontrovertible scientific evidence.
• Safe use of asbestos is relatively simple
  inexpensive.
• Cold facts of science have not been able to
  dispel the passion of public fear.

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American Medical Association

• Expressed frustration that science was being
  ignored
• while being so scared about asbestos.

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Conclusion

• Both US Government regulatory and International
  agencies have concluded that ingestion of
  asbestos from any such sources does not present a
  risk of cancer to the public.
• Asbestos Cement Pipe is widely recongnised as
  cost effective, reliable, and as safe as any
  water pipe in use today

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Asbestos in AC is very safe exposure to air is
practically NIL

• less than 15 only
• wet closed
• both being silicates form a virtually inseparable
  bond.
• does not separate, even if AC is cut or powdered.

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Manufacturing is highlyEco-Friendly

• Raw materials are primarily natural.
• effluent pozzolona
• No hazardous chemical reaction ,
• No heating required ,
• No effluents
• Very Low Energy Consumption and
• Simple but modern indigenous machinery process

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How asbestos earned a bad name?

• toxicity low / ignorance about risks
• work in clouds of asbestos for years
• without even simple needed precautions
• Eg. spraying asbestos in war ships as insulation
• without even wearing simple masks
• After 15-20 years lung problems occurred

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AC Plastic
Metal
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AC Plastic Metal gt amongst 20 most
hazardous substances
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AC Plastic Metal
gt amongst 20 most
hazardous substances
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Inference A

• Asbestos Cement products and technology are
  definitely
• Safer much more Eco-friendly
• Very Simple widely applicable / available

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Very Useful because?

• Asbestos is inert stronger than steel
• thermal coefficient matches
• homogenous, microscopic , 3 D reinforcement
• 15 times the water pressure than a concrete pipe

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USEFUL

• Corrosion, Heat Fire resistance
• Durability (100yrs) gains strength
• safety factor increases unlike in alternatives
• Robust, thus least storage costs

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USEFUL

• Excellent Insulation
• Easy manufacturing availability
• Easy to use and maintain.
• chlorine treated water and

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USEFUL

• No tuberculation / erosion / corrosion
• Intermittent Water supply
• Excellent for tropical
• Lower costs

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Applicable

• Units spread over the state / country
• Products are needed all over the state / country
• so least transportation needed

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Other Possible Applications besides Water supply
pipes roofing sheets

• Pipes for Sewerage, Irrigation as shell pipes
  for optic other cables
• Sheets for panels prefabs
• Asbestos could supplement partially substitute
  steel as Reinforcement in Concrete.

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Cost Comparison

• Plastic metal
• (4 to 12 times) more expensive.
• Waiting time
• more in such alternatives

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Optimising the Performance of A.C. Pressure Pipes

• Laying Joining of A.C.Pressure Pipes

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Laying Joining of A.C.Pressure Pipes

• Handling and Storage of Pipes at site
• Cutting of Pipes at site

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Laying Joining of A.C.Pressure Pipes

• Stringing out the Pipes
• Excavation and Preparation of the Trench

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Laying Joining of A.C.Pressure Pipes

• Pipe Laying
• Continuous Support
• Normal Gradient
• Steep Gradients
• Intermittent Support
• Suspended Installation

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Laying Joining of A.C.Pressure Pipes

• Jointing of pipes
• Anchorages and Thirst Blocks