Recycling construction materials
Recycling plasterboard and gypsum from construction projects
Guide
Gypsum is manufactured into:
- plasterboard
- plaster
- other specialist boards - eg fire protection
Common sources of plasterboard waste
Plasterboard wastage of 10 to 35 per cent can be generated on site during installation. The main causes are:
- off-cuts
- damaged stock
- poor design
- poor storage and handling
- over ordering and disposal of unused materials
- off-site cutting
Recycling options for plasterboard
The options for recycling waste plasterboard produced on your construction site include:
- returning off-cuts to the manufacturer for recycling through take-back schemes
- sending waste to independent plasterboard recyclers to make into new plasterboard and cement
- sending waste to household waste recycling centres
- using gypsum as a soil conditioner
- using gypsum to make bathroom furniture mouldings
However, there are some limitations on recycling plasterboard including:
- old plasterboard removed in demolition and refurbishment projects can be contaminated with other materials and is harder to separate
- specialist types of plasterboard, such as foil backed, cannot be recycled using current technology
- plasterboard made from composite materials is difficult to separate - eg insulation bonded
Making changes to your site operations
You can make simple yet effective changes to your site's operations to reduce plasterboard waste and allow more to be recycled by:
- separating insulation waste to avoid damage
- improving transport procedures to reduce damage to materials
- providing staff with training in the handling of materials
- recovering materials and not sending them to landfill
Potential end uses for recovered plasterboard and gypsum
You can use recovered plasterboard in a number of construction applications and materials including:
- new plasterboard products via suppliers' take-back schemes
- Fermacell (dry-lining board for walls, ceilings and floors)
- unfired clay-gypsum blocks
- mushroom compost
- slope stabilisation
- road foundation construction
- bathroom furniture mouldings
See dry-lining contract work - how to cut waste and costs.
You can find licensed waste sites to recycle or dispose of plasterboard and gypsum.