Use the KOBUS Pipe Puller and REDUCE Your Carbon Footprint

Because the KOBUS Pipe Puller is the only method of replacing water pipes that removes the old pipe from the ground, it actually has a negative carbon footprint once the old pipes are recycled.

The total carbon footprint for replacing a 10m water pipe with a KOBUS Pipe Puller is 20.3kg. As the KOBUS Pipe Puller removes the material from the ground and replaces it, the removed material can be recycled. The carbon emissions produced from pipe replacement can be offset with recycling.

The results below display the carbon footprint of replacing an 11lb, 10m lead pipe. The total carbon saved is 133kg, equivalent of running a small family car for 1,024km.

To calculate the results, the total carbon gained from recycling the pipe material and cable was subtracted from the total carbon footprint of replacement (20.3kg). On the right is a table highlighting carbon gained from recycling different pipe materials, 10m in length.

How has this figure been calculated?

Included within the calculation is;

• The total carbon cost of making the items in the 13m, 5ton consumable pack (13m as that is the amount of cable required to pull a 10m pipe) This is based on manufacturing from standard virgin and recycled mix of materials as available in the UK.
• All the raw materials (steel, stainless steel, Kobite, cardboard, etc).
• Machining (making cables, machining ferrules, blow moulding KOBITE bottles, etc).
• Transport of all materials to our depot.
• Minus the carbon saved by putting recycled lead or copper back in the industrial cycle.
• Cost of recycling the lead, steel and copper by the recycling firm (over estimated).
• Energy consumption of pulling (fuel and electricity).

Not included in the calculation is;

• Transport to customer as this is variable from customer to customer.
• Excavating the holes as this is not part of the comparison and is completed in different sizes and
• methods by different customers.
• Transport of recycled materials from site to recycling depot as this is variable.

The method used is that of the Life Cycle Analysis Calculator (LCA) and the Water Research Council plc (WRc plc).

While we are currently getting the following figures independently validated we are confident that we are within 10% of the actual figure.