Biphenyls

ALH_4

I thought it was aluminum they linked to alzheimers. Then I read an article where they showed there was no link. Who knows what to believe.

I am a little distrustful of food stored in plastic also, but I think we are probably at greater risk from the pesticides, herbicides, preservatives, hormones, and antibiotics applied to our foods than we are from pex tubing in our plumbing.

There is no end to the ways we poison ourselves every day with "safe" levels of dangerous chemicals.

Rich Kontny_3

Biphenyls

I have read where California still does not allow pex piping. I have several customers who now question the safety of plastics in general. Do any of the travelers or reps of European pex manufacturers have any backup in regards to pex usage for potable water in Europe???

The type of requirements for California seem to be a little fuzzy so I was wondering about European requirements as a comparison.

Thanks,

Rich K.

Unknown

Hi Rich,

I'm getting skeptical myself, I have this report that i got from a friend, and I haven't managed to get any real expert closure on it. Then again, i have about a hundred things I"m trying to learn about at once right now, so I haven't pursued it very seriously either. but it does talk about high levels of MTBE in PEX-A products.

If you or anyone else knows anything about it I would love to hear more.

WV EGBERT_2

Motive

I will respond later, as I have to leave for work now.

However, the summary report by Chemaxx was very interesting, however I think Dr. Fox may have some alter motives. No doubt he sent his report to every lawyer in the country. I am skeptical because he metioned rodents, and mold in this same summary.

I'd rather see some controlled testing results from NSF, EPA even WQA.

Also, he metioned that flushing reduces the levels. Were these levels from the start acceptable according to NSF, were the levels after flushing almost none existant?

In new home construction, I always run the water for testing of fixtures, even at rough -in test waste pipe and vent testing.




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L Thiesen

Pex in California

Rich, are you sure California does not allow PEX? Delta has just released a new line of faucets just to meet the lead level requirments in California and these faucets have PEX waterways so water never comes in contact with anything but PEX. That would be big news for Delta. My Delta rep tells me this change is specificaly because of the new lead regs in California.

Rich Kontny_3

Just checked with Uponor

While I am still waiting for some backup, Uponor and other pex products are now being used in California. They were the last state to approve it. I also have a call into Dan Worm from Uponor who is the plumbing technical rep.

Hope to hear from him yet today (will keep you all posted.)

The biphenyl thing is real. After the "Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel" ran a Pulitzer prize winning article regarding this we are seeing all sorts of scrutiny by consumers. My 23 year old daughter (mother of three)even quizzed me about it last week. Saturday a customer said he would go with the pex but his wife does not trust any plastics right now.Since copper is so high I guess I will have to either use it or face the wrath of the "mother lion syndrome"

Rich

Unknown

well I don't like plastics for food either, but copper is linked to altzheimers I believe, so it's not really *better*.

Unknown

sorry, you're right. there are health issues with copper

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~toxmetal/TXQAcu.shtml

though obviously they are not horribly acute, it does have an effect on the nervous system.

Rich Kontny_3

Follow the Dollars

It is hard to get neutral opinions as Singh stated because you have to consider the source. I know that copper has taken a major hit from pex and plastic sales and would love to bad mouth the products while ignoring coppers inherent side effects and cost ineffectiveness.

On the other hand the story ran by the "Journal-Sentinel" uncovered a coverup (if you will) of chemical and plastic companies financing their own biased reports.
With liability the way it is we need neutral and fair information on product,systems and there flaws and pluses.

It was research at the public University of Wisconsin that finally allowed fair and unbiased research and subsequent reporting. This was not without threats of grant money being witheld or pressure from the chemical/plastics lobby however.

While the political side of our government is suspect, the rank and file workers tend to be honest fair and above board. I often look to Canada for advice and study results as they are very independant of America's way of thinking.

I was blindsided by the insulating tarp type systems and their R-factor claims until I read Canadian studies about this type of insulating product and their inaccurate claims.

This is why I would like some European input as they have used pex a lot longer and are very environmentally aware.

Rich