Plastic Septic Tanks Are All the Rage – Advantages & Disadvantages

Plastic septic tanks have become widespread in recent years. Much of their popularity can be attributed to their ease of manufacturing, low cost compared to alternative effluent tank types, and ease of installation.

You can even find plastic septic tank models that are placed above ground. They are not nice to look at, but you could disguise them and if the ground where you live is unsuitable for an effluent tank, then an above ground arrangement may be your only option.

What follows is a quick list of advantages and disadvantages that you should be aware of.

Advantages of Plastic Septic Tank

  1. Plastic is a resilient material and is not as likely to crack as other materials that you will find in the market place
  2. Plastic tanks that are suitable for a normal sized home are light enough to be moved around the property by a few people; whereas, a concrete tank requires a crane.
  3. These types of tanks are quite inexpensive because of their ease of manufacture and installation
  4. You do not have to worry about these tanks rusting since there are no metallic parts
  5. These tanks will also never corrode and will remain water-tight as long as they are not abused

Disadvantages of Plastic Septic Tank

  1. Plastic is a very light-weight material and if it is buried improperly it will literally float to the ground surface
  2. Plastic is structurally weaker than concrete or cement, so it will not be able to hold as much septic effluent as similar sized effluent tanks
  3. At the moment, plastic effluent tanks are not legal in all states or countries
  4. Damage can easily occur during installation because the plastic is so light and easily dropped

Plastic septic tanks are often relied upon when a cement effluent tank is not suitable for your property. For example, the ground may be too rocky or the area where the effluent tank needs to go is impossible to reach by crane. There have been instances where plastic tanks were approved in states that do not normally allow them because there was no other alternative.