NSF/ANSI 14: Third Party Certification for High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Pipe

NSF/ANSI Standard 14 (NSF 14) was developed in 1965 to establish a standard for the testing and certification of plastic materials for both toxicological health effects as well as performance. At the time of introduction, NSF 14 covered pipe and fittings for only potable water applications and a small number of plastic materials, i.e. polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-Styrene (ABS) and polyethylene (PE). Over the 46 years since its development and introduction, NSF 14 has evolved into a plastic standard that is no longer restricted to potable water. It now covers a wide variety of applications such as DWV (drain, waste and vent), sewer, natural gas, industrial applications and reclaimed water. In addition, it covers a wide variety of materials such as polypropylene (PP), HDPE, Polyamide (PA), cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) and polysulfone (PPSU). This paper will specifically cover third party certification for HDPE pipe. It will address material, performance and quality control requirements.