“Sending one skip of waste plasterboard to landfill will cost you about £2,000. You can save £500 on each skip by using a manufacturer’s plasterboard waste collection scheme or a gypsum recycling centre”.
Rules on landfilling
Options for disposal of waste
Quality Protocol
Reduce Waste
Options for recycling plasterboard waste
- Manufacturer schemes – the 3 UK manufacturers – British Gypsum, Knauf and Siniat – have waste takeback schemes whereby bulk bags can be filled with plasterboard waste and the vehicle delivering new plasterboard will collect the bags of waste for re-processing into new.
- Independent plasterboard recyclers – many local recyclers also offer similar schemes where material can be collected from sites using bulk bags, skips and bins. There are also independent plasterboard recyclers who can accept plasterboard waste for a fee.
Environmentally acceptable uses for recycled plasterboard
‘Clean’ waste
The main issue for many recyclers is the problem of contamination in loads. Items such as metal, bricks, glass and plastic can often be found in supposedly ‘plasterboard only’ loads. This can slow down and even prevent the recycling process for plasterboard. By taking extra steps to keep loads clean, waste producers can assist with the recycling process, thereby reducing their own costs. Such precautions should be applied in both the construction and demolition sectors. Demolition sourced plasterboard can be recycled, however, more than in other sectors, it is paramount that waste producers take extra steps to ensure no contamination is present.