Advancing Hygiene and Compliance
March 1, 2024
Future-Ready Drinking Water Seals
In the ever-evolving landscape of regulations, the drinking water industry faces new challenges with the impending "assessment basis for plastics and other organic materials that have contact with drinking water" (KTW-BWGL) set to become legally binding in Germany from March 1, 2025. Anticipating these changes, Angst+Pfister has introduced an innovative elastomer, HITEC® DW EPDM, designed to meet and exceed the rigorous standards of tomorrow while providing superior mechanical properties.
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Meeting Future Regulatory Challenges:
Reto Mueller, Product Leader in Sealing Technology at Angst+Pfister, highlights the growing disparity between materials suitable for drinking water and food applications. While drinking water focuses on mechanical properties, food applications prioritize material purity. Recognizing this, Angst+Pfister invested in a dual-directional development process, staying closely connected with expert panels and associations to foresee regulatory changes.
HITEC® DW EPDM: A Future-Ready Solution
Angst+Pfister's HITEC® DW EPDM stands as a testament to their commitment to innovation and safety. Developed in-house, Angst+Pfister controls every aspect of the formulation, mitigating risks for customers. The material not only complies with the impending KTW-BWGL standards but exceeds them, anticipating stringent regulations across "4 member states" - Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
Challenges and Innovations
As the KTW-BWGL regulations come into force, limitations on additives, particularly peroxides, will impact elastomer compounds. Carbon black purity requirements, migration values, and microbiological standards will also be significantly tightened. Reto Müller acknowledges that manufacturing reliable elastomers meeting these stricter standards is a formidable challenge. However, HITEC® DW EPDM rises to the occasion, maintaining impressive mechanical properties from -57 to 150 degrees Celsius, surpassing current elastomers, especially in low temperatures.
Versatility and Processability
Initially designed for O-rings, HITEC® DW EPDM's exceptional processability has extended to geometrically complex molded seals. This versatility allows engineers to use the same compound for both O-rings and shaped-seals, enhancing safety and reliability. The material excels in long-term compression deformation tests, making it suitable for static and dynamic applications. Furthermore, it demonstrates resistance to degradation when in contact with copper, brass, and silicone grease - common materials in drinking water applications.
Comprehensive Compliance
HITEC® DW EPDM goes beyond drinking water regulations, meeting various global standards for both water and food applications. The material is compliant with NSF 61, AS/NZS 4020, ACS, D.M. n°174, DVGW EN 681, DVGW W534, ÖNORM, KIWA, UBA (KTW-BWGL), WRAS for drinking water. For food and beverages, it adheres to 3-A Sanitary, FDA, NSF 51, BfR XXI, D.M. n° 1973, EC 1934/2004, LFGB, SR 817.023.21, GB 4806.11-2016. Additionally, it meets USP Class VI, DVGW CERT ZP 5101:2021.
Conclusion
In the face of evolving regulations, Angst+Pfister's HITEC® DW EPDM emerges as a future-ready solution, combining innovation, reliability, and versatility. Engineers and buying managers in the drinking water industry can now navigate the changing landscape with confidence, knowing they have a compliant, high-performance elastomer that anticipates and exceeds the legal requirements of tomorrow.
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