Orangeburg pipe is made of wood fiber pulp pressed into layers and saturated with coal tar pitch, and it is generally not an asbestos product. It is often confused with asbestos-cement pipe, sometimes called transite, which is a different, gray, cement-like pipe that was also used for water and sewer lines. If you are unsure which you have, have the pipe identified before anyone cuts or removes it.
The asbestos question comes up a lot because several older building materials did contain it, and homeowners reasonably worry when an old pipe is about to be dug up. Here is how to tell the two materials apart and why it matters.
What Is Orangeburg Actually Made Of?
Orangeburg is bituminized fiber pipe: layers of wood pulp fiber bonded and waterproofed with hot coal tar pitch. It is black, fairly light, and feels somewhat like hardened tar paper. When it fails, it does not crack cleanly like clay. It softens, blisters and flattens. Read what is Orangeburg pipe for the full background.
How Is It Different From Asbestos-Cement Pipe?
| Orangeburg | Asbestos-cement (transite) | |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Black | Gray |
| Material | Wood fiber and coal tar pitch | Cement reinforced with asbestos fibers |
| Feel | Tar-like, soft when old | Hard, stone-like |
| How it fails | Softens, blisters, flattens | Cracks, erodes |
| Common use | House sewer laterals | Water mains, some sewer lines |
Is Orangeburg Pipe Safe to Remove?
Buried Orangeburg that is intact is not a hazard to you. During replacement, the crew handles the old pipe as waste material, removing it from the trench or leaving broken pieces in place during pipe bursting. Coal tar products can contain chemicals that are best not handled bare-handed or burned, so crews wear gloves and dispose of removed pipe properly. That is standard care, not a special hazard procedure.
What If It Might Be Asbestos-Cement Instead?
- Do not cut, break or sand it yourself.
- Have the pipe identified by a professional. In some cases a sample may be tested.
- If it is asbestos-cement, removal may need to follow specific handling rules. Leaving it in place and bypassing it is sometimes an option.
- Ask your contractor how they will handle it before work starts.
How Do You Find Out What You Have?
A sewer camera inspection usually tells us whether a line is Orangeburg, clay, cast iron or plastic, based on the look of the pipe wall and how it has failed. If a section is ever uncovered, the difference between black fiber pipe and gray cement pipe is easy to see.
Why the Confusion?
Both materials were used in the same decades, both are now considered outdated, and both show up when older homes are renovated or sold. Home inspection reports sometimes list any old non-metal pipe as “possible asbestos” to be cautious. That caution is reasonable, but it helps to know that black, tar-like Orangeburg and gray, stone-like transite are easy to tell apart once you see them.
Does This Change the Repair Cost?
For Orangeburg, generally no. It is replaced with PVC or burst out like any other failing pipe. See Orangeburg pipe replacement. If a line turns out to be asbestos-cement, special handling can add cost, and we would tell you before any work begins.
This guide is general information. For how we handle old pipe on real jobs, see how we approach sewer line repair in Pine Bluff.
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FAQ
Is Orangeburg pipe dangerous?
Buried and intact, it is not a hazard to occupants. Its main risk is failing and causing backups.
Is Orangeburg the same as clay pipe?
No. Clay is fired ceramic, usually reddish-brown. Orangeburg is black fiber pipe.
Is Orangeburg illegal?
It is no longer installed and is not allowed for new work under modern codes, but existing lines are not illegal to have.