High-performance stormwater systems from recycled material
Pipelife’s stormwater attenuation and soakaway systems, Stormbox and Stormbox II, have a strong reputation among customers for their high reliability and fast, straightforward installation. Following extensive material testing and production trials, we are proud to have expanded our stormwater solutions portfolio with Stormbox E and Stormbox II E. These attenuation and soakaway crates are made from 100% recycled polypropylene, which is almost the only difference compared to their counterparts produced from virgin materials.
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Material Circularity in the Construction Industry
While the most obvious benefit of plastic recycling is reducing landfill waste, there are other equally important environmental, economic and social advantages. Recycling decreases the need for raw materials and reduces the environmental impact of sourcing them. Furthermore, using recyclates in production consumes less energy and lowers CO2 emissions.
With growing awareness of the importance of transitioning toward a circular economy, developers and contractors in both public and private sectors are increasingly seeking ways to ensure their projects are not only functional and reliable but also sustainable. In response to these trends, Pipelife has been continuously increasing the amount of recycled materials used in production. In 2021, Pipelife introduced Stormbox E and II E rainwater retention crates, both made from 100% recycled polypropylene (PP). Since 2023, all new Pipelife products are recyclable or reusable at the end of their lifecycle.
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Why Europe is not Recycling More
As part of the EU Green Deal, plastic recycling rates within the bloc are targeted to reach 55% by 2030. However, the progress has been inhibited. Part of the issue lies in unstandardized or low-quality plastic waste. Another factor is the bias concerning the properties of products made from recycled plastics, which affects the development and stability of the recycling sector.
While new sorting approaches and technologies have significantly improved the quality of today’s recycled materials, awareness of these advancements is not yet widespread enough to increase consumer acceptance.
“It is still widely believed that recycled materials have unfavorable or inferior properties, but we can prove that this misconception is no longer valid,” asserts Hielke Hoekstra, Manager of Rainwater Category at Pipelife. “You can have highly reliable products made from recycled plastics. Of course, such materials need to be tested very carefully, but it is possible to do that.”
Lower Environmental Impact, Same Quality Standards
The Stormbox E and II E models were carefully developed and rigorously tested to meet international standards for stormwater systems and the high quality that customers expect from Pipelife. Both systems boast the estimated service life of 50 years.
“We chose to apply the proven designs of Stormbox and Stormbox II, so we only needed to test the recycled material itself and its properties, especially the long-term characteristics,” explains Hoekstra, “What we discovered is that the material is excellent, and the products’ characteristics are almost equal to our Stormbox crates made from virgin material.”
The Stormbox E crates are available in a size of 1200 x 600 x 300 mm, with a net water capacity of 206 liters. The scope of application is nearly the same as for Stormbox, including retention, storage and soakaway in residential or green areas, parking lots and most road drainage projects. The only exceptions are stormwater storage systems in areas with high groundwater levels or under very heavy traffic loads. The crates have integrated access points for inlets and riser pipes up to DN 200, with connection boxes available up to DN 400.
The Stormbox II E was introduced as a circular alternative to Pipelife’s best-selling Stormbox II system. These crates feature integrated push-fit connections that significantly speed up installation and are particularly advantageous for large-scale commercial and industrial projects. Due to its high load resistance, the Stormbox II E system can be used for deep installations and in high-traffic areas. The crates measure 1200 x 600 x 600 mm, offering a net water capacity of 413 liters. The proprietary wall design of Stormbox II E ensures excellent geotextile and membrane protection during high-pressure cleaning. The crates are directly compatible with horizontal inlets up to DN 400 and vertical risers up to DN 630, offering maximum design flexibility.
“For us, it’s important that customers experience no differences. That there are no added challenges when it comes to installation or product performance,” says Hoekstra. “Almost all projects requiring infiltration or retention crates can be implemented with Stormbox E or II E systems, which is a real advantage for our customers seeking sustainable solutions.”
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When Circularity Meets Reliability
Since their market launch, both circular stormwater management systems have attracted considerable attention, with nearly 35,000 crates already sold. Each project utilizing these high-quality solutions not only advances sustainability in construction but also helps dismantle preconceptions that hinder the adoption of circular infrastructure solutions, emphasizes Hoekstra:
“This isn’t just a step forward for stormwater management — it’s a step toward a more circular future for the construction industry. We aim to increase market acceptance of recycled construction materials, and maximum transparency is a key part of that equation.”
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