Can PVC Plastics Be Used As A Reef Material?
Yes, the Army Corp of Engineers still allows the use of PVC plastics in the construction of DESIGNED artificial reefs only. PVC, however, has a charge that attracts bacterial microbes which can cause an unnatural settlement of marine growth. PVC is also known to be light weight and brittle–often breaking down with age. The only artificial reefs currently using PVC are experimental or fitted with large concrete slabs for stability. Even with the concrete, PVC reefs have not yet been proven to be long lasting. Occasionally, Reef Ball allows the use of PVC air filled capsules encased fully in the top of our Reef Balls. The purpose of this is to provide a highly visible “signature” on depth finders to easily locate Reef Ball reefs. These capsules are not intended to be exposed to the open ocean.
