Past Updates for Steel Piping with Antimicrobial Coating

February 26, 2009 Update - Lubrizol is providing this update regarding the use of antimicrobial coated steel pipe with BlazeMaster CPVC fire sprinkler piping systems. Contractors should not use steel pipe with antimicrobial coatings, such as Allied’s ABF II, in conjunction with BlazeMaster CPVC pipes and fittings, unless the factory applied coated steel pipe has been approved for inclusion in our FBC System Compatible program (www.systemcompatible.com). This recommendation covers antimicrobial coatings that are applied by the pipe manufacturer or sold separately in the aftermarket. At this time, Wheatland Tube Company’s MIC SHIELD Coating (for steel pipe manufactured after 2/22/2009—the date when the product’s validation was completed) is part of the FBC System Compatible Program. For Wheatland Tube MIC SHIELD™ coated pipe manufactured before 2/22/2009 please contact Wheatland Tube for clarification. In the aftermarket, Potter Pipe-Shield™ corrosion inhibiting antimicrobial liquid is approved as part of the FBC System Compatible Program. The coating must be applied and used in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

Lubrizol is continuing to thoroughly investigate the use of BlazeMaster CPVC with ABF II and other antimicrobial coatings and will issue its findings as soon as possible. In the meantime, we ask that contractors carefully follow the recommendations set forth by our compatibility program.


January 28, 2009 Update - Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Compatibility of Antimicrobial Coating and CPVC Piping
The question of compatibility between various antimicrobial coatings of steel pipe and CPVC piping systems has prompted many different articles, debates and discussions within the fire sprinkler industry. More than anything, a tremendous amount of confusion exists relative to what is fact and what is speculation. As a long-time leader in the CPVC fire sprinkler industry, Lubrizol and, more specifically, BlazeMaster Fire Sprinkler Systems, are committed to communicating timely, relevant and substantiated information to help alleviate unnecessary concerns and also to inform contractors and decision makers of the facts they need to ensure successful installations in the field.

Given the highly technical nature of the products involved and the chemical testing that is being undertaken to investigate possible chemical compatibility issues, we have created the following overview in a reader-friendly Q&A format. It is designed to answer frequently asked questions. We will continue to update and expand these facts as new information becomes available.

Antimicrobial coatings have been used on steel pipe for years. Why are there questions arising now about using an antimicrobial coating on steel pipe that is installed near a CPVC fire sprinkler system?
Thousands of CPVC fire sprinkler systems have been installed around the globe since 2000 that have used a combination of CPVC piping and antimicrobial coated steel pipe without incident. Recently, a small number of CPVC fire sprinkler system problems have occurred in systems joined to steel pipe coated with antimicrobial coatings. The possibility that the coated steel pipe may be a contributing factor to the CPVC system problem became one of many factors considered when these problems were investigated. To date, after analysis, we have not found any consistent evidence in these systems that point to the antimicrobial coating. Rather, there have been other, more substantial contributing factors which identify the nature of the problem.

What is Lubrizol’s current position on this question of compatibility?
Since this matter was first brought to the attention of Lubrizol, our company has committed a team of experienced professionals to study the problem both on site and in the lab. We are continuing to conduct detailed and comprehensive laboratory tests. In addition we are reviewing identified problem jobsites and conducting testing and evaluations. Although we still do not believe there is enough confirmed evidence to support the allegation that antimicrobial coated steel piping systems will, by themselves, cause problems with CPVC pipe and fittings, we have suggested to contractors that until the final test results are in, they only use non-coated steel piping in conjunction with BlazeMaster fire sprinkler systems. The suggestion to avoid coated steel pipe covers coatings that are applied by the pipe manufacturer, as well as those that are sold as after-market products.

Is there a difference between antimicrobial coatings applied by the pipe manufacturer and those sold after market?
Much of Lubrizol’s product testing originally focused on steel pipe that had been coated by the manufacturer. As a result of these tests, which were conducted in conjunction with NSF International to simulate real-life installation scenarios, we found no evidence to suggest that the manufacturer-applied coating of Allied ABF II pipe (the most widely sold antimicrobial coated steel fire sprinkler pipe) was likely to cause problems with BlazeMaster CPVC. More recently, we became aware of a few after-market coatings that can be applied to steel pipe, and we are trying to learn when and how such coatings have been used and the nature of their chemical compatibility

Why have other industry analysts been able to draw conclusions on this problem when Lubrizol has not yet issued a final position?
No other organization has as much experience in CPVC compounds as Lubrizol. It was our company, which was then part of BFGoodrich Performance Materials that first commercialized CPVC back in 1959. We were the first to adapt CPVC technology for use in fire sprinkler pipe and fittings back in the mid 1980s sold under the BlazeMaster trade name. While other industry “experts” may have well-established credentials in chemical manufacturing or even in plastics overall, they have not been specifically involved with CPVC compounds used for fire sprinkler piping for as long. Over the 50 years that we have been in this business, we have developed testing protocols to help us understand the interaction between various materials and CPVC and have the technology to identify the interaction between materials. We believe we need to obtain factual information and material samples from the project sites in order to perform a multi-faceted investigation which will replicate the site conditions in an effort to determine the cause. It is our understanding such a detailed investigation has not been completed by other industry analysts. These issues demand detailed study and analysis, and nothing less can support a final conclusion regarding the compatibility of anti-microbial coatings with CPVC.

Why is Lubrizol questioning that there could be a chemical compatibility issue?
When considering the large volume of installations that have taken place using the combination of antimicrobial coated steel pipe and CPVC pipe and fittings, as well as the number of years since these coatings have been on the market, the handful of problem projects that we’ve recently seen are insufficient to draw the conclusion that chemical incompatibility is causing the problems. With the samples that Lubrizol has analyzed, we have not found any consistencies that point to the antimicrobial coating. In each case, there were other contributing and, perhaps, dominating factors, such as excessive stress being applied to create vulnerable pressure points.

Is chemical compatibility an issue with CPVC fire sprinkler systems?
No material is compatible with every other material used in the building industry. That’s why contractors need to be aware of potential compatibility issues and why Lubrizol launched its FBC System Compatible Program in 2001. This industry-exclusive program provides installers with added peace of mind regarding the use of ancillary products that are applied to or around BlazeMaster fire sprinkler systems. So, yes, chemical compatibility is something that everyone in the industry needs to be made aware of, whether plastic or metal pipe is being installed. However, with more than one billion feet of BlazeMaster CPVC piping systems having been installed around the globe since 1984, the number of projects that have resulted in performance issues is extremely small.

Has Lubrizol identified any common or consistent patterns that may account for the isolated instances of environmental stress cracks (ESC)?
The main commonality between the various job sites has been the existence of elevated external stress on the CPVC pipe. Although the root causes of the stress have differed, the problem appears to be at the point of stress.

Has Lubrizol examined antimicrobial coated pipe samples that did not show any signs of ESC?
Yes, we have recovered samples of pipe from the affected job sites that were literally covered with ABF antimicrobial coating produced by Allied; yet, they showed no signs of cracking. This, combined with the large number of successful installations that include both antimicrobial coated steel pipe and CPVC piping, is what has led us to question the claims of chemical incompatibility.

Is it true that amines have been linked to the chemical compatibility issue?
The term “amines” encompasses a broad class of chemicals, some of which have no effect on CPVC, some of which may cause environmental stress cracking to greater or lesser degrees, and some of which may cause dehydrochlorination of CPVC. All of these potential effects depend on the type of amines present, their concentration, and potential external stresses on the piping. The mere presence of amines, while possibly of interest, is not a certain cause of a problem. Chemical resistance recommendations published in brochures intended for industrial applications cannot necessarily be applied directly to fire sprinkler systems. For example, while some amines may lead to dehydrochlorination of CPVC, it does not necessarily follow that such amines are also ESC agents. The issues are separate and distinct, and a complete analysis of the type that Lubrizol is undertaking is required to see if either the amines or the conditions exist which may influence a decision on whether the amines involved are a compatibility issue for CPVC.

What does this mean for projects that have already been completed using a combination of coated steel pipe and CPVC pipe?
At this point in time, Lubrizol is not recommending that any action be taken on completed projects. Due to the isolated nature of the issues, there is insufficient evidence to question existing projects. As a precautionary measure only, while we are completing our testing, we are recommending that new systems being installed at this time not use antimicrobial coatings unless the coating is part of the FBC System Compatible program. Products in this program have been tested and shown to be chemically compatible with Lubrizol produced CPVC.

When will Lubrizol make its conclusion on the issue of chemical compatibility?
We are making every effort to resolve these questions as quickly as possible. We will continue to provide communication updates as new information becomes available. The process of simulating real-life applications takes time. To rush the results and draw unsubstantiated conclusions would be irresponsible and not in the industry’s best interests.

January 6, 2009 Update - As part of our commitment to provide continuing, factual communications regarding important industry trends and issues, we are notifying contractors of our ongoing product testing relative to compatibility concerns associated with the use of antimicrobial coatings applied to steel piping systems.

Antimicrobial coatings have been applied to steel piping by pipe manufacturers for years, and these coated pipes have been successfully used without incident in fire sprinkler systems that used a combination of steel pipe with CPVC pipe. Recently, some failures have been seen where the antimicrobial coating used by Allied Pipe has been found at failure sites where signs of environmental stress cracking and external stresses have been seen. Lubrizol has previously reported that even though the Allied antimicrobial coating would not be classified as compatible with CPVC if it were applied directly to the CPVC, there was no expectation that a problem would develop in typical-use situations. Lubrizol has also recently learned of the existence of liquid anti-microbial chemicals sold in the aftermarket for the treatment of uncoated steel pipe. Such liquids may act differently than manufacturer applied antimicrobial coatings. Lubrizol is endeavoring to obtain samples of such products for compatibility testing as well. Lubrizol is working to identify the actual root cause of the failures that have been reported. Additionally, Lubrizol is in the process of evaluating a number of different coatings to assess their compatibility with BlazeMaster CPVC fire sprinkler pipe and fittings.

Until these tests can be fully completed, documented , and communicated to the industry Lubrizol recommends that only non-coated steel piping be used with BlazeMaster fire sprinkler systems and that aftermarket coating not be used, unless the coating being used, whether applied by the manufacturer or otherwise, has been added to the FBC System Compatible Program (www.systemcompatible.com).

We expect additional test results to be available within the near future and will continue to provide pertinent updates as these results are confirmed. You can either continue to check FBC System Compatible Program website for updates, or if you are signed up for our notification program, you will automatically receive updates as they become available. To sign up for automatic updates, go to www.systemcompatible.com/forms/register.asp and follow the online screen directions. Registering for this service allows users immediate notification via email of the most up-to-date list of chemically compatible products and program information with regards to Lubrizol CPVC compounds (BlazeMaster, Corzan, and FlowGuard Gold CPVC products).


October 1, 2008 Update - Lubrizol continues to evaluate anti-microbial materials in the market and will communicate accordingly our opinion in this matter.

The following are four steel fire sprinkler piping company’s evaluations of their anti-microbial coated products installed in conjunction with CPVC fire sprinkler piping systems.

• Allied Tube & Conduit Corporation
• Bull Moose Tube Company
• Wheatland Tube Company
• Youngstown Tube Company
  
  

July 30, 2008 Update - In an ongoing effort to keep contractors updated on the latest compatibility information and products being tested, Lubrizol has recently completed testing in conjunction with NSF International to evaluate the compatibility of BlazeMaster CPVC fire sprinkler piping with Allied ABF steel sprinkler pipe coated with an antimicrobial formula.
As part of the testing, which was created to simulate real-life situations in which CPVC fire sprinkler piping is likely to interact with steel pipe coated with an antimicrobial formula, steel pipe was filled with water and continuously rolled for a period of 10 days. This allowed a concentration of the antimicrobial coating to form in the water. CPVC test samples were then tested for over 1,000 hours at elevated stress while immersed within this water mixture.

Under the parameters of this test conducted inside an NSF lab, the Allied ABF antimicrobial coating did not cause environmental stress cracking.

These test results indicate that even though the Allied ABF antimicrobial coating would not be classified as compatible with CPVC if it were applied directly to the CPVC, there is no expectation that a problem would develop in typical-use situations. Additionally, four steel pipe manufacturers (Allied, Wheatland, Bull Moose, Youngstown Tube) have stated that neither of them is aware of any test data that shows that their respective antimicrobial coatings are environmental stress cracking agents in CPVC. Lubrizol’s conclusion is that properly installed, quality CPVC piping and fittings would not suffer from environmental stress cracking simply as a result of being used in a sprinkler system that also contains steel pipe properly coated with Allied ABF antimicrobial formula.