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"Greener" Pastures Lie Ahead For Epoxy Resin CIPP Rehabilitation
Sustainable solutions. Eco-friendly installations. Green technologies. (December 12,2011) - Trenchless World Magazine -- For years, these terms have been cast about in the trenchless infrastructure rehabilitation industry, but never really had the teeth to catch on. Why? There were three barriers, really. One, environmentally friendly resins were expensive to produce. Two, they had a short "pot" life, making them difficult to use in the field. Three, and perhaps the most obvious, global demand for green technologies just wasn't there.
Let's all face it; the green movement... is no longer just a movement. It is a reality, and very quickly becoming an integral part of rebuilding the global economy. LEEDS credits, and incentives for green building and repairs will play a significant role in determining how projects will be specified and who will be awarded the contracts. In the United States alone, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates it needs to spend more than $390 billion over the next 20 years to update or replace existing systems, and build new ones to meet increasing demands on water and sewer infrastructure. And with increased emphasis on protecting the environment, a lot of it will be done with green solutions. Trenchless Rehab Solutions Are Proven To Reduce Carbon Footprint Many governments across the globe are now requiring municipal managers and business owners to evaluate carbon loading as an integral element of their construction projects. When considering the repair of water and wastewater pipelines, the decision to move from traditional dig to utilize trenchless technology, such as CIPP, can reduce CO² emissions by as much as 85 percent. One can only imagine how much more of a positive environmental impact will be made when epoxy resin CIPP solutions are specified and installed in this scenario. Example of Carbon Emissions Reduction Using Trenchless Process 
The Evolution of Epoxy Resin CIPP Systems Cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) technology, which was first installed in the United Kingdom in 1971 and introduced to the North American market in the late 1970's, is clearly the most widely accepted and proven trenchless technology employed today.
For the last 75 years, epoxy resins have been specified to protect and repair all types of infrastructure. However their use in underground rehabilitation has been limited, primarily due to handling constraints and high cost. While many manufacturers are just now testing safer CIPP systems, RS Technik introduced their system over 15 y ears ago. Their alliance with the Dow Chemical Company (Dow) significantly enhances the opportunity to consistently deliver existing and continue development of proven, safe, and cost-effective epoxy based CIPP systems. With a never-ending commitment to quality, RS Technik rehabilitation systems utilize state-of-the-art computer-controlled, mobile wet out and installation technology that eliminates installation restraints found with earlier methods. Today, RS Technik has rehabilitated more than 30 million feet of wastewater and water pipeline worldwide. This a proving ground for their epoxy CIPP systems, especially as the demand for eco-friendly rehabilitation products increases. Side Bar: Anatomy of an Environmentally Friendly CIPP System Engineering an environmentally and user-friendly CIPP system that meets government regulations and industry standards in countries and regions across the globe is a daunting task. RS Technik and its alliance partner, the Dow Chemical Company, set several key objectives:
RS Technik has been delivering its RS CityLiner rehabilitation system for water and wastewater pipeline for over 15 years. This system utilizes highly sophisticated installation equipment that allows its contractors to wet-out the CIPP liner in a mobile unit close to or on the job site, literally minutes before it is installed into the damaged water or sewer pipe. There are several key advantages to using this system. Mobile wet out unit -
After 15 years, and nearly 30 million feet in the ground, RS Technik was obviously doing something right. One of the critical keys to its success had been the careful selection of contractors that were as committed to the responsible and eco-friendly infrastructure solutions as they were. Early on in Europe, RS Technik joined up with Diringer & Scheidel Rohrsanierungs GmbH, one of Germany’s most experienced trenchless rehabilitation contractors. Together not only have they been the dominant force in delivering epoxy based CIPP solutions for sanitary sewers, but have quickly expanded their presence in pressure and water pipeline repair where they have installed nearly 10,000 feet for various European waterworks and industrial facilities in the last few months. RS Technik has customers in most countries in Europe for the RS CityLiner® and RS MaxLiner® systems. For two years now the RS CityLiner® system is driving the market in Singapore with its unmatched quality and performance. It was only a matter of time before RS Technik turned its attention to the Americas, where infrastructure concerns continued to mount and is recognized as the largest CIPP market in the world. In 2006, North Carolina based RS Lining Systems signed on to develop the Americas and immediately began focusing on attracting experienced, highly regarded national installation contractors and full-service distributors. “Our goal was to copy the successful business model, RS Technik employed elsewhere,” stated Joanne Hughes, RS Lining Systems. "And, that was to seek out contractors with a regional or national presence and impeccable reputations that were fully committed to deliver quality solutions.” Ms. Hughes went on to explain that finding the right installers, truly committed to marketing and installing environmentally friendly trenchless rehabilitation solutions has not been an easy task. “The Americas represent a large, politically and culturally diverse part of the world,” stated Hughes. “We spent the first few years traveling throughout the US, Canada, South America, and Mexico meeting with potential candidates. It was hard work, sometimes disappointing, too. But we have been fortunate to partner with several high quality partners with the capabilities and passion to provide the sustainable and eco-friendly solutions municipalities and private industry demand,” she concluded. RS Technik: Growth in the Americas Canada- DFI is a Canadian based oil and gas and industrial services company with an outstanding reputation throughout the country and northwestern US states. It was their commitment to safely delivering innovative solutions and concern for the environment that made them a perfect fit for RS Technik systems. DFI currently has infrastructure contracts within several provinces in Western Canada and focuses its installation efforts on collection systems utilizing RS CityLiner. Mexico - Mejoras Energiticas of Mexico is one its country's largest and most successful sanitation and water quality solutions provider to Mexico's public agencies and private sector. Mejoras offers the RS CityLiner system for gravity sewer repairs and is preparing to launch the RS BlueLine system for pressure and water lines. Mejoras provides unique full service supply and service of technology, materials and equipment throughout the country. United States - IPR (Inland Pipe Rehabilitation) recently partnered with RS Technik and is employing its mobile, epoxy CIPP systems in municipalities and industrial facilities in need of pressure and gravity pipeline rehabilitation. The IPR family of companies includes PM Construction, RePipe, Inland Waters Pollution Control and ITG. Certified in virtually every major city in the United States that has significant underground structural needs, IPR rehabilitates more than 1,000,000 feet of pipe each year. Epoxy Resin CIPP systems have come a long way in a short period of time No one has ever doubted the long-term benefits of using epoxies. Since the rehabilitation marketplace never mandated them, most believed it wasn't worth investing to refine or identify new ways of integrating them into the installation process. The world has changed. It is more crowded, more polluted, and those services that we have all taken for granted - such as indoor plumbing and clean drinking water - are now overtaxed and in need of repair. So, given the green options available to repair our broken water and sewer lines without disrupting our daily life, and without the need to use harmful chemicals, it seems silly not to take advantage of proven epoxy CIPP systems. They exist in order to offer us their considerable benefits. |
This did not deter RS Technik from developing their environmentally friendly trenchless rehabilitation systems. The company
knew it was only a matter of time before the issue of elevated toxins in the environment would lead to stricter government
regulations and safer resin systems for CIPP. Now more than 15 years later, RS Technik is a global leader in "Green" trenchless
rehabilitation solutions. Their signature systems, RS CityLiner for gravity sewer repairs, and RS BlueLine for pressure and
water pipe system rehabilitation, feature specially formulated DOW™ Epoxy Resins and highly sophisticated mobile units with
computer controlled impregnation. Combined with custom manufactured felt and reinforced liners, these critical elements
make up the most advanced and eco-friendly CIPP system in the world.
Over the last 20 years advancements in CIPP technology and installation methodology literally revolutionized the sewer
pipeline repair industry, providing a reliable solution to rehabilitating previously unreachable sewer pipelines
without the need to excavate. Of all the trenchless rehabilitation technologies introduced since, none has proven
more versatile and adaptable. In 2008, CIPP surpassed all other technologies as the number one repair method used in
North America for sanitary sewer pipelines. Despite this popularity, CIPP manufacturers and installers are now faced
with the challenge to provide a sustainable, environmentally safe system.
RS BlueLine system was released nearly two years ago in Europe focusing on the rehabilitation of pressure pipelines.
Utilizing similar installation technology, the unparalleled design of the RS BlueLine system offers fully structural
repair solutions for drinking water and wastewater pressure pipes.