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Pipes are a fundamental element in engineering and construction. They are used to carry all kinds of fluids, and the material they are made of depends on the purposes they are intended for. In view of this large variety, we wanted to limit the framework of this study to the two commonest types of pipes: pipes for carrying drinking water and drainage and sanitation pipes.

The environmental impact of the choice of the construction material of these two types of pipes was determined; to this end, a life cycle assessment was made, considering the stages of extraction and supply of materials, production of the pipe, installation and use, recycling in the cases where this is possible, and final disposal of waste materials.