SUSTAINABILITY
November 2, 2023 / minute read
Durability Meets Sustainability
Sustainability. You’re hearing that word everywhere. But what does it mean? At ADS, it means we create the most durable tiling solutions farmers need while being one of North America’s largest recycling companies.
Sustainability is hard. In fact, it’s so hard that competitors spread myths about recycled plastics rather than find solutions that work. So, let’s forget the myths and dig into the facts.
How do we do it?
Balancing material and mechanical properties is critical for agriculture pipe performance. Unlike original concrete drainage tile, ADS’ coiled agriculture tile is subject to extreme physical conditions in handling and installation requirements. ADS recycled formulations are built for strength, stiffness and toughness.
We start with a stronger plastic called High Density Polyethylene, which is used to create other heavy-duty plastic objects, like gas cans or heavy laundry detergent containers. From these materials, we take the resin and process it into standardized pellets to manufacture our tile.
Standing up to the test
Our recycled tile passes the environmental stress crack resistance and brittleness tests, which indicate crack resistance from anything Mother Nature, hauling or installation might bring. It’s built to withstand the impacts of extreme hot, cold, saturated or dry environments — basically, any normal year in your fields.
All ADS recycled materials perform equally to tile made with virgin resin material and undergo the same rigorous testing. And, they stand up to the test every time.
- When tested for physical strength in bending and flexing, ADS pipe performs 261% above the standard ASTM requirement.
- When tested for strength by the risk of cracks and failures, ADS pipe performs 32% above the standard ASTM requirement.
- When tested for stiffness and ability to resist bending after installation, ADS pipe performs 39% above the standard ASTM requirement.
In short, tile made with recycled materials consistently surpasses industry performance requirements when put to the test.
Making a difference
ADS recycled products yield a high-performing, green solution to your water management needs. The benefits start in the early stages of the process and carry through long after the tile is in the ground. Recycled tile is just as strong as virgin and performs just as long — about 100 years.
Besides strength and long-lasting age, manufacturing with recycled materials has a few more benefits:
- It uses 59% less water to produce than virgin
- It uses 88% less energy to produce than virgin
- It avoids 650 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions
You get a reliable, durable product that will last just as long as any competitor. We work to keep the industry sustainable, so it stands the test of time for future generations. To us, that’s #WorthTheWork.
Want to learn more about water management systems for your project? Contact your ADS sales rep for all your needs.