Banbury, England: A new standard has been produced for the processing of waste plasterboard into quality assured gypsum – the first of its kind.
The new standard launched by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) yesterday is PAS109:2008 Specification for the production of recycled gypsum from waste plasterboard. It was developed by WRAP in collaboration with the British Standards Institution (BSI) and the industry sectors which recycle waste plasterboard and use gypsum.
If a plasterboard recycler adopts the standard, they can advertise that their recycled gypsum product meets the PAS109 quality requirements, according to WRAP.
"The launch of PAS109 continues our support to the plasterboard recycling sector by helping it to demonstrate quality and increase throughput"
Mike Watson, Head of Construction at WRAP
Purchasers can also have confidence in quality assured products produced to PAS109, so it has to be a step in the right direction. This should ensure the growth in existing markets for recyled plasterboard products and assist in the development of new ones.
Gypsum recycled from waste plasterboard is already used in, for example the manufacture of new plasterboard, the manufacture of cement and for agricultural use as a soil treatment.
In effect, PAS109 sets a series of minimum requirements covering the selection, receipt and handling of input materials; the specification of product grades; the storage, labelling, dispatch and traceability of the products; and quality management to ensure the recycled gypsum being produced is consistently fit for its intended uses.
Quality Protocol
WRAP is also working with Environment Agency on a Quality Protocol for production of gypsum from waste plasterboard. The importance of this is that if adopted, the Quality Protocol would allow the recycled gypsum to be classed as ‘fully recovered’ in certain applications and hence no longer considered to be a waste. The Quality Protocol is due out for public consultation and should shortly be available from the Environment Agency website.
Mike Watson, Head of Construction at WRAP, said:
“The launch of PAS109 continues our support to the plasterboard recycling sector by helping it to demonstrate quality and increase throughput. By building markets for recycled gypsum more waste plasterboard will be diverted from landfill disposal which not only represents good materials resource efficiency and provides cost savings but will also support the construction industry in its target of halving waste to landfill by 2012.”
Further information
PAS109 can be downloaded from the WRAP website.
Working in seven key areas (Construction, Retail, Manufacturing, Organics, Business Growth, Behavioural Change, and Local Authority Support), WRAP’s work focuses on market development and support to drive forward recycling and materials resource efficiency within these sectors, as well as wider communications and awareness activities including the multi-media national Recycle Now campaign for England.
More information on all of WRAP's programmes can be found at www.wrap.org.uk .