PEX Plastic Pipe Unanimously Added to California Plumbing Code; State Officials Certify Favorable Environmental Impact Report

Effective Immediately, Cities and Counties in California May Approve the Use of
PEX Drinking Water Systems in all Residential and Commercial Applications; Use
Also Approved in Hospitals and Clinics
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
In a unanimous vote, the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) has
approved the addition of PEX plastic pipe and tubing to the California Plumbing
Code (CPC), allowing its use in hospitals, clinics, residential and commercial
construction throughout the state of California. The Commission`s approval took
place following certification of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on the use
of PEX, indicating that it meets the rigorous standards of the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) will be officially added to the CPC when the new
code is formally adopted on August 1, 2009. In the meantime, cities, counties
and other local jurisdictions may approve the use of PEX, effective immediately.

The CBSC acted during its meeting in Sacramento on Thursday, January 22.

"This is a great day for consumers and a great day for the building industry in
California," said Richard Church, executive director of the Plastic Pipe and
Fittings Association (PPFA).

"PEX has probably been studied, scrutinized and analyzed more than any non-metal
building material in history," said Church. "The result is a win-win for
consumers and the environment."

The exhaustive EIR approved by the CBSC concluded that the use of PEX as
outlined was an "environmentally superior alternative," meaning that that the
inclusion of PEX in the California Plumbing Code was a "greener" alternative to
leaving PEX out of the code.

The 296-page Environmental Impact Report took more than two years to produce and
was prepared by the California Department of General Services working with EDAW,
a leading planning and environmental design firm headquartered in San Francisco.

PPFA and PEX manufacturers were required to pay for the report, but to guarantee
its impartiality, had no role in its preparation and development.

"One of great ironies of the environmental review PEX went through is best
reflected in a question one CBSC member asked state officials during the
approval process," observed Church. "He wanted to know if non-plastic materials
had ever been subjected to the same public health and safety analysis PEX had
just gone through.

"Amazingly the answer is `no.` No other non-plastic building or plumbing
material has ever been subjected to-or passed-such scrutiny," said Church.
"California builders and home owners are finally able to utilize the well
studied material in their projects, saving them both time and money."

A copy of the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) approved by the CBSC is
available for download from the CBSC website at:
http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/bsc/pex/2009/PEX%20FEIR_01-08-09.pdf

The Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association (PPFA) is a voluntary, non-profit
organization of companies primarily engaged in the manufacture of plastic
piping, fittings and solvent cements for plumbing and related applications, or
supply raw materials, ingredients or machinery for the manufacturing process.
For additional information, contact the Association at 800 Roosevelt Road,
Building C, Suite 312, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137; 630/858-6540; fax 630/790-3095; or
visit the website at www.ppfahome.org.

Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association
Richard W. Church, 630-858-6540
Ex. Dir.
Dickc@cmservnet.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009