Plasterboard is a versatile construction material, and research shows that construction companies in the UK use over three million tonnes of plasterboard each year. The plasterboard is made from multiple layers.
The outer layers are made of lining paper, and the inner layer contains gypsum. Disposing of gypsum with biodegradable wastes can cause toxic and odorous hydrogen sulphide gas.
Although the UK’s Environmental Agency (EA) does not list plasterboard as hazardous waste, incorrect disposal can cause problems. Read on!
How to Dispose of Plasterboard
You can’t put plasterboard in skips that contain general waste. According to the Environmental Agency, people must separate plasterboard and gypsum from other waste material that they collect. It is essential to keep the plasterboard separated.
You can’t also place the plasterboard in your kerbside bins. Because plasterboard contains gypsum, it can produce poisonous gas when you dispose of it with biodegradable waste.
UK law requires to dispose of plasterboard separately. You must dry it and remove tiles, wood, or other material from it.
Plasterboard can’t go to landfills
As mentioned above, you can’t add or mix plasterboard with other waste. It means this type of material can’t go to landfills.
You can’t bag or store it in a small skip, but you can contact a skip hire company to collect the plasterboard. However, make sure you hire a company that keeps the material in a skip dedicated to plasterboards.
Find a Recycling Centre
Find out if your local council collects plasterboards and how to recycle gypsum-based waste. You can call the local council and talk to the staff about the procedure. Search the internet to find disposal or recycling centres in your local area that accept plasterboards.
Most local councils and recycling centres in the UK recycle gypsum in plasterboard. These centres use recycled gypsum as a soil conditioner. Gypsum replaces sodium in the soil and makes it less salty. It also provides a source of sulphur and calcium without increasing the soil’s PH.
Before carrying the plasterboard to a recycling centre, make sure you remove nails and pieces of wood trim. If your plasterboard is painted with lead-based paint, the recycling centre may not accept it because lead is a toxic material.
Reuse or Donate the Material
According to the Environmental Agency, the best plasterboard disposal solution for households and construction companies is to avoid waste in the first place. For instance, you can order sheets with appropriate dimensions for the room you are plaster-boarding. You can use the plasterboard’s scrap pieces in the wall cavities before covering them.
Moreover, experts recommend saving the plasterboard pieces for another construction project. You can also offer plasterboards for free online as salvage or donate to another building construction project. Moreover, you can use the leftover plasterboard to fertilise your lawn or garden.
As mentioned earlier, gypsum optimises the soil PH over and enhances its overall workability. You can also add it to your compost. Crushed gypsum adds a wide range of nutrients to your compost bin.
Final Words
Unlike other waste material that requires pretty straightforward disposal methods, disposing of plasterboard is quite different. You can’t throw it with other waste in the rubbish bin or place it in the skip that contains other biodegradable materials.
Plasterboards likewise can’t end up in landfills. We have already mentioned the reasons above. You can reuse it for another construction or repair project, donate it online, or carry it to the recycling centre that accepts plasterboards.
