European consumption of major thermoplastics for tubes, pipes, conduits and fittings

Nearly 3 million tonnes of plastics are consumed by this sector, accounting for 7.4% of all plastics. The pipes and tube sector is roughly ranked like the automotive and transportation or electricity and electronics sectors for the consumption of plastics. 

Consequently, commodity thermoplastics are the most used, with rigid and soft PVCs dominating. However, some engineering thermoplastics are used for specific applications that justify their cost. 

Let us quote some application examples for some thermoplastics. These examples may be commercialized, in development, potential or related to very specific uses. The designer must verify the possibility to use the quoted thermoplastic family for their specific problem and test the right grade in real service life conditions. 

Geomembranes are giant impermeable membranes made of (un)reinforced polymeric materials and used to stabilize earth and to secure landfills ensuring containment of hazardous or municipal wastes and their leachates. Functionalities are varied  

Geomembranes and associated geotextiles are also used for the rehabilitation of channels, tunnels, reservoirs and so on, economically providing complete reliability for waterproofing, and avoiding liquid losses. 

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Table 2.30 European consumption of major thermoplastics for tubes, pipes, conduits and fittings...

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