Limestone Products
Why is limestone inside your pipes and paint?
The invisible mineral inside your home.
Dr. Lime Explains
A PVC pipe is not only plastic. A good part of it is ground limestone.
This is not simply a cheaper substitute. The limestone makes the pipe stiffer and more stable, and it helps the pipe hold its shape.
The same powder is in paint, where it gives body and whiteness. It is in paper, to make the sheet smooth and bright. It is in carpet backing, and in the sole of a shoe.
Worth knowing
For this use, the limestone has to be ground extremely fine, and it has to be identical from one batch to the next. A small change in the size of the particles shows up as a change in the colour of the paint or the strength of the pipe. Here, consistency matters more than anything else.
Source: Industrial Minerals Association Europe.
