PVC Pipes J.M.Eagle Whistleblower

[Montana 1001]

The maker of almost 2/3 of America’s new water pipes, JM Eagle, has been using substandard Formosan materials and fudging standard certification tests since 1996, according to a “whistleblowerâ€

[hausdok]

Just post a link to the complaint and folks can go there and upload it or read it at their leisure.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Bill Kibbel]

Any thoughts or news?

It'll be interesting to watch this unfold. The fact that the material is regularly subject to 3rd party testing (Underwriters Laboratories, American Society for Testing and Materials, American Water Works Association, etc.) and the lack of reported failures (they supply 60% of PVC pressure pipe) makes me wonder if there really is a serious issue. Look at the states and municipalities joining the suit. It seems they're suing because they think the pipes will fail.

I'm getting the scent of financially hurtin' state and local governments using our countries famous "jackpot justice" system. I predict there will be a settlement but none of the money will be spent on replacing JM's PVC.

[Richard Moore]

There's a fuller article here at http://plasticsnews.com/headlines2.html?id=17829 , and that has a direct link to the lawsuit document. I admit it smells but, as nothing has been proven yet, I'm going to reserve judgement. All I do know for sure is that, as usual, some lawyers are going to make a lot of money...no matter how it turns out.

[hausdok]

California fought plastic pipe for years. They'll jump at any chance to condemn it.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Montana 1001]

How testing certifications allegedly were obtained fraudulently from UL, ASTM, and AWWA is detailed in the Complaint. (It's an amazing story of failed test runs, ditched samples, changed protocols, etc.) Since these generally are "honor system" protocols, the Complaint should be read before concluding anything further. Home inspectors are still dealing with the fallout of UL stickers that were on Federal Pacific Electric panels for analogous reasons. There is no "lack lack of reported failures" among the state and local governments that joined the "whistleblower" claims (note the Nevada prison pipe in the post, others are in the related articles at The New York Times (nyt.com) and Plastics News (plasticsnews.com), though the list a week after the Complaint was unsealed is unlikely to be complete so soon. The 72-page complaint is at http://admin.phillipsandcohen.lawoffice.com under "Qui Tam" (whistleblower actions, at left, along with a little info on the background of that kind of lawsuit).

[plummen]

Back when I was still teaching plumbing for my continuing ed hours I used to take my classes on lots of field trips to show them how things were made and used every day in the trades,rather than just looking at pictures in a book 3 hrs a night.Anyway cres line plastics in c.b iowa was one of the places they liked to go,very interesting process involved in making pvc and sdr pipe I efinately reccomend a tour if you ever get the chance []