March 27, 2025
Important Sustainability Legislative and Regulatory Initiatives in the Plumbing Industry
By Chrissie Walsh
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Laws
What is it? This is a policy approach that aims to hold producers accountable for the entire lifecycle of their products, including disposal and recycling. It focuses on the packaging filing recycling bins, placing costs to responsibly dispose of the materials back to those who made it.
Why is it Important? It requires manufacturers to disclose the amount and type of materials shipped into the state on an annual basis, then pay fees according to the defined material costs. EPR fees typically incentivize design choices that improve recyclability, minimize waste, and improve environmental outcomes.
What Does it Mean for GF Building Flow Solutions? Beginning in 2025 onward, internal teams will report with more granularity on product packaging to the states that have adopted EPR policy and will be subject to fees accordingly.
GF Building Flow Solutions is still evaluating the long-term business impact but expects it may impact packaging decisions in the future.
Additional Resources: What is extended producer responsibility (EPR)?
PFAS (Per- & Polyfluoroalkyl Substance)
What is it? Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS-based materials have typically been used in products such as nonstick cookware, water-resistant clothing, firefighter foam, and more.
These chemicals are highly resistant to degradation and do not naturally break down in the human body or the natural world. PFAS contamination is widespread across the environment, having been found in soil, water, air, and even within the human body.
Why is it Important? Questions have arisen if this is within Uponor PEX-a pipe and whether it creates the possibility of the material leaching into drinking water supplies.
Although there is no PFAS within Uponor PEX-a product, residual amounts can unfortunately be found all over and measuring trace amounts within production processes is industry-agnostic. PFAS can be found within machinery maintenance materials and even within the water utilized in production.
What Does it Mean for GF Building Flow Solutions? These materials will be banned from use within the 2030s, impacting manufacturers with reporting requirements and transitioning to alternative materials within operational processes.
With the regulations in place today, the impact to business is minimal. However, the dynamic nature of this extremely important subject is actively being evaluated with an internal task group and managed according to changing regulatory landscape.
Additional Resources: EPA PFAS Explained
PPI statement on PFAS in plastic piping for potable water transport
Microplastics
What is it? Microplastics (<5 mm) and nanoplastics (<1 μm) can originate from a wide array of primary (created) and secondary (broken-down) sources, including from the breakdown of synthetic-fiber clothing during the wash cycle, accidental loss of pellets during plastic production processes, weathering of synthetic paints or coatings, degradation of tires during use, and even the drainage of personal-care beauty products after use.
Why is it Important? There is growing public concern on the potential impacts to human health and environmental toxicology, with recent studies detailing buildup of the material within the digestive tracts of fish, animals, and even within the human bloodstream.
The pervasive particles are now widespread in the environment. Addressing microplastic pollution will require reducing their intentional use in primary products as well as improving general plastic waste management and recycling of secondary sources globally.
What Does it Mean for GF Building Flow Solutions? As detailed in the PPI statement published in September 2023, “There is no indication that plastic piping is an important source of microplastics in drinking water.”
It is important to differentiate that PEX piping is a durable polymer material for use within the walls of homes and buildings, designed for 50+ years of service with high resistance to corrosion and erosion.
Movement of safe drinking water is a highly regulated space, with testing requirements, frequent audits, and compliance requirements that mitigate the risk of products being a point source for contamination. GF Building Flow Solutions carefully monitors any risk for microplastics within operational practices and adheres to the guidelines established by Operation Clean Sweep.
Additional Resources: NOAA on Microplastics
PPI Statement on Microplastics
Advanced Recycling
What is it? As we are within the plastics industry at large, Uponor PEX-a product can be associated with the public perception of plastic pollution and the concerns with ineffective recycling infrastructure.
Advanced recycling (also called “chemical recycling”) refers to several different processes to extract value from post-use plastics by converting them into their original building blocks, specialty chemicals, feedstocks for new chemicals and plastics, and other second-life products.
Why is it Important? Due to its durable, crosslinked structure, PEX piping traditionally has been deemed a non-recyclable material, with waste material being sent to landfill.
GF Building Flow Solutions has a sustainability goal to responsibly recycle 100% of PEX waste.
Creating a tangible circularity story is a future-proofing action for the business. This will include recycling scrap, creating pilot programs in jobsite take-back, testing mechanically recycled materials in durable goods, and establishing pathways for products to contain innovative recycled-content raw materials.
What Does it Mean for GF Building Flow Solutions? Although it is difficult to recycle, circularity is possible with scrap or deconstruction-based PEX most often with advanced recycling technologies. It is not a perfect solution, but it is the most feasible to scale with this industry still in its infancy.
GF Building Flow Solutions is actively engaged with competitors, industry associations, potential recycling solution providers, and university researchers to discover how best to diversify capacity in this space.
Additional Resources:American Chemistry Council on Advanced Recycling
Restricted Markets
What is it? Currently, New York City and Chicago prohibit the use of polymer piping systems for potable water. Other cities, such as Boston and Philadelphia, place restrictions on its use.
This results in a regulated preference to the metallics industry. To change this, intentional conservation and collaboration has to occur to educate influential, effected parties on the reasoning for including changes to these restrictions in updating code cycles.
Why is it Important? The sustainability attributes to Uponor PEX-a products and systems are now providing a competitive edge to the restricted-markets conversation.
For example, the city of New York has aggressive decarbonization goals as well as a large stock of existing buildings requiring retrofits. These issues are on top of the critically low supply of affordable housing and housing in general.
What Does it Mean for GF Building Flow Solutions? The key to success will be to tell the polymer piping story to those influential groups that are driving change on these large issues and show how polymer piping systems can help.
The sustainable benefits of utilizing polymer solutions for this purpose is offering reason to change outdated alliances towards metallics.
Additional Resources: NYC's Urban Green Council
Safe Water / Clean Water
What is it? Recently, issues with clean water have made headlines, highlighting the importance of safe drinking water in homes and businesses.
Why is it Important? This has spurred much needed activity in water service replacement funding for municipalities, as well as upgrades to aging water delivery infrastructure across the country. It has also driven consumers to consider adding water filtration as a part of their water use practices and has brought attention to material choices in relation to water quality over time.
What Does it Mean for GF Building Flow Solutions? The smooth inner bore of plastic pipes minimizes friction loss and helps to maintain a steady flow, which equates to better hygiene with less opportunity for stagnation and bacterial growth.
With the launch of Uponor ServicePEX™ pipe for water service applications, GF Building Flow Solutions is primed to actively address both new construction and replacement of outdated service lines to deliver safe, clean water from the main to the structure. The added financial benefits a municipality could see through the $15 billion allocated to the EPA via the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides an opportunity for GF Building Flow Solutions to address the replacement of aging water service lines across the country.
With that, copper will be needed as a critical resource for electrification infrastructure, and there is a push to reduce copper in plumbing applications.
Codes and Standards
What is it? Sustainable action is increasingly being written into the codes and standards adopted by various municipalities across the nation. Codes and standards can be fragmented and slow in adoption, with many states still utilizing outdated guidance and requirements within the building process.
Why is it Important? To promote pathways towards decarbonization, the inclusion of deep energy efficiency, carbon footprint reduction, water and waste conservation, use of EPDs and LCAs, as well as sustainable building certifications are setting the course towards achieving net zero over time.
ASHRAE 90.1 for commercial and International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for residential are key drivers towards standardizing advancements on a national level, over near-term code cycles.
What Does it Mean for GF Building Flow Solutions? It is likely to be a net benefit to see increased push for deliberate material choices, energy efficiency, water efficiency, and promotion of products with EPDs.
With a sustainable-focused product offering and goals for 90% coverage for EPDs indexed to sales by 2027, GF Building Flow Solutions is well positioned to meet the needs of customers aiming to build for tomorrow through code compliance.
Additional Resources: USGBC on Green Codes
Uponor Brand Product EPDs