Still, I do wonder about the long-term environmental impact of plastic piping compared to copper or even recycled steel.
I’ve gone down that rabbit hole too. When I replaced my old copper lines, I debated PEX vs. copper for weeks. Here’s what I landed on: copper is endlessly recyclable, but mining and production are pretty rough on the environment. PEX is less energy-intensive to make, but it’s not really recyclable at the end of its life. In my case, I salvaged as much copper as possible and took it to a scrap yard—felt better than just tossing it.
One thing I’m still curious about: has anyone tried those newer bioplastic pipes? I’ve heard about them but haven’t seen them in real-world use yet. Wondering if they’re actually practical or just greenwashing...
I get where you’re coming from—there’s a lot to weigh up between recyclability, production impact, and what actually works in practice. Salvaging copper is a smart move, and honestly, I wish more folks did that instead of sending it to landfill. I’ve read about bioplastic pipes too, but haven’t seen anyone local using them yet. Part of me wonders if they’ll hold up over decades like copper or if it’s just marketing hype. Either way, you made a thoughtful choice, and that’s what matters most.
Copper’s tough to beat, honestly. I’ve pulled 60-year-old copper out of walls that was still going strong—just swapped it because the fittings were shot. Bioplastics sound cool, but until I see one survive a few decades of hard water and the occasional freeze, I’m skeptical. Salvaging copper’s a win, though. It’s wild how much just gets tossed when it could be reused or recycled.
I get what you’re saying about copper lasting forever, but I’ve had to deal with pinhole leaks in older copper runs—especially where the water’s acidic.
That’s great if you’ve got good water, but in my last house, I ended up replacing sections with PEX. It’s not perfect, but it’s a lot cheaper and easier to run through tight spots. Salvaging copper is smart, though—scrap prices aren’t bad these days.“I’ve pulled 60-year-old copper out of walls that was still going strong”
Yeah, copper’s great until your water chemistry turns against you—then it’s just a waiting game for pinholes. I’ve seen some old copper look pristine and other spots just eaten through. PEX is way easier to snake around weird joists and it’s less hassle if you’re not soldering every joint. Only thing that bugs me is the plastic fittings sometimes feel flimsy... but for the price, hard to beat. Copper scrap is definitely worth hanging onto, though—pays for a few beers at least.
