PHMSA Issues Advisory Bulletin on Plastic Pipe

By Erin Kurilla posted 2 hours ago

Helpful

On January 23, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued an Advisory Bulletin “Distribution Integrity Management Program Considerations for Plastic Piping and Components” (ADB-2026-01) in response to the March 2023 incident in West Reading, PA.

The Advisory Bulletin calls on all gas distribution pipeline operators to:

Review the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report on West Reading and the risks associated with Aldyl A piping and Aldyl A tees with Delrin polyacetal inserts.
Review DIMP FAQs, and DIMP Enforcement Guidance on plastic piping, and past PHMSA Advisory Bulletins:
1. ADB-99-02: Potential Failures Due to Brittle-Like Cracking of Older Plastic Pipe in Natural Gas Distribution Systems
2. ADB-02-07: Notification of the Susceptibility To Premature Brittle-Like Cracking of Older Plastic Pipe
3. ADB-07-01: Updated Notification of the Susceptibility to Premature Brittle-Like Cracking of Older Plastic Pipe
4. ADB-2012-03: Notice to Operators of Driscopipe? 8000 High Density Polyethylene Pipe of the Potential for Material Degradation
5. ADB-2020-02: Overpressure Protection on Low-pressure Natural Gas Distribution Systems
Incorporate “reasonably available information” such as the location of elevated temperatures (e.g. underground seam lines or electric lines) into Distribution Integrity Management Programs.
Work to identify where elevated temperatures may exist in your system and may be potential threats to plastic pipSusceptible materials of plastic assets may include:
1. Plastic pipe installed between 1960 and early 1980s
2. Low-ductile inner wall Aldyl A piping manufactured by DuPont Company before 1973
3. Polyethylene gas pipe designated PE 3306
4. Aldyl A tees with Delrin polyacetal insert
5. Plexco service tee Celcon (Polyacetal) caps
6. Driscopipe 7000 and 8000 High Density Polyethylene Pipe
Where elevated temperatures may pose a threat to plastic assets, identify additional information needed to assess the threat and develop a plan to gather information over time through activities conducted on the pipeline, such as design, operations, maintenance, and construction.
Incorporate the potential for elevated temperatures to impact plastic pipe into your relative risk rankings. Incorporate potential for gas migration into your consequence factor considerations.
Determine and implement measures to reduce the risks associated with the failure of plastic distribution pipeline assets.
Maintain DIMP records for at least 10 years.
When constructing new or replacement of plastic mains, provide sufficient clearance or insulation from any sources of heat.

PHMSA concludes this Advisory Bulletin with a note that, “PHMSA notes that this advisory bulletin does not have the force and effect of law and is not meant to bind owners, operators, or the public in any way. This guidance will not be relied upon by the Department as an independent basis for affirmative enforcement action or other administrative penalty.”

The APGA Security & Integrity Foundation is actively working to incorporate the recommendations from the Advisory Bulletin into the SHRIMP tool for distribution integrity management.

Permalink

https://www.apga.org/blogs/erin-kurilla/2026/01/29/phmsa-issues-advisory-bulletin-on-plastic-pipe

Blogs