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Assessing International Plumbing Code Updates for Chemical Waste Drainage
Published every three years by the International Code Council, the International Plumbing Code provides guidance and code regulations that help ensure the engineering of safe, resilient plumbing systems. An important update included in the 2024 IPC more clearly defines what materials are approved for chemical waste drainage.
Previously, plumbing professionals and code officials were left with little direction to determine whether or not certain plumbing systems were allowable by code. The 2024 edition outlines a list of allowable materials with proper chemical resistance — providing clarity and consistency for the plumbing industry.
“By recommending a specific direction, this model code proposal aimed to eliminate any confusion regarding the choice of appropriate materials for chemical waste applications,” said Brian Helms, Charlotte Pipe training manager.
Helms, and Brian Conner, Charlotte Pipe’s director of codes & standards and international technical support, attend every model code meeting around the country to ensure Charlotte Pipe and its customers stay ahead of the curve when it comes to model code changes.
“Generally, state and local plumbing codes are established based on model plumbing codes, while the states will make amendments as they see fit,” Helms noted.
By recommending a specific direction, this model code proposal aimed to eliminate any confusion regarding the choice of appropriate materials for chemical waste applications. Brian Helms Training Manager
Understanding the Plumbing Code Amendment Process
The plumbing code development process is complex, but it’s important for plumbing professionals to understand the diligence required in evaluating and implementing proposals.
Every three years, the ICC issues a call for proposals, inviting plumbing code officials, contractors, engineers, and manufacturers to submit model plumbing code change requests during an allotted time frame. Once the proposals are submitted, they’re published as a collective monograph available for viewing on the ICC website and thrust into a multistage review process.
“The ICC code development process begins with Committee Action Hearings, where the validity of the proposal is evaluated through debate in front of a technical committee,” Helms said. “The committee will then issue a recommendation for approval or disapproval during this time.”
If proposals are disapproved, the plumbing professional who submitted the proposal has an opportunity to adjust the original proposal for committee review. Eventually, the process reaches the Online Governmental Consensus Voting for final approval.
What’s new in 2024 for chemical waste drainage?
Before the ICC published the 2024 IPC, a chemical waste system was ambiguously defined as any “approved material that is resistant to corrosion and degradation for the concentration of chemicals involved.” The use of “approved material” within the definition, however, left open to interpretation what materials were allowable for chemical waste drainage.
In an effort to promote clarity for plumbing professionals, a proposal was made during the 2021 code development period to introduce a table consisting of all materials manufactured to standards specifically for chemical waste drainage applications, found in projects such as hospitals, universities, and laboratories.
A New Way to Define Chemically Compatible Systems
The 2024 IPC now defines the requirements for a chemical waste drainage system as:
“A chemical waste drainage system, including its vent system, shall be completely independent from the sanitary drainage system. Separate drainage systems for chemical waste and vent pipes shall conform to one of the standards indicated in Table 702.6. The chemical waste shall be treated in accordance with Section 803.2 before discharging to the sanitary drainage system. Chemical waste drainage system pipe and fitting materials shall be resistant to corrosion and degradation for the concentrations of chemicals involved per manufacturer recommendations.”
The table below identifies the allowable systems for chemical waste drainage, including CPVC.
Source: ICC
While the definition of “approved materials” for chemical waste drainage has evolved in the 2024 IPC, Charlotte Pipe’s commitment to providing the proper materials for chemical waste disposal remains the same.
“Since no single piping system is chemically resistant to every chemical and substance, the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding chemical resistance, temperature compatibility, and installation should be referenced by the installer or designer when choosing a material for chemical waste drainage,” Helms said.
Charlotte Pipe’s ChemDrain Pipe and Fittings
Charlotte Pipe ChemDrain® CPVC pipe and fittings are manufactured with a Corzan® CPVC compound and are specifically engineered to deliver years of reliable, problem-free chemical waste drainage service.
Manufactured to ASTM F2618, the standard for CPVC pipe and fittings for chemical waste drainage as identified in the 2024 IPC, which covers the performance requirements of CPVC pipe, fittings, and solvent cements used in chemical waste drainage systems, ChemDrain pipe and fittings are trusted and widely used by some of the nation’s top research labs thanks to its exceptional resistance to strong acids and alkalis. In addition to its durability, ChemDrain is easy to install, using one-step solvent joining, and a more economic alternative for institutional, academic, and commercial labs.
Understanding the effects of chemical attacks on plastic piping systems is crucial for long-term durability. Learn how to navigate material selection and ensure chemical resistance and explore how ChemDrain CPVC prevents damage through superior chemical resistance.
