Annually it is estimated around 1000 tonnes of plasterboard offcuts from the local building industry are sent to landfill.
“This isn’t just filling up our landfills” said Michelle Wilkinson, Program Coordinator, Halve Waste “it’s a waste of a fantastic resource. Clean plasterboard offcuts from new building sites will now be sent to ReGyp in Cowra where they are processed into a high-quality gypsum for use in agriculture. The recycled product is highly sought after by farmers as it has a higher gypsum purity than mined gypsum and has the added bonus of using less energy to produce it. It’s a great example of how recycling can benefit our regional economy”.
Local builders with sites in Albury and Mulwala can get involved by contacting Halve Waste on 02 6043 8568. “It won’t just be better for your waste management costs but reducing waste on building sites can become a great marketing tool in a market where customers are increasingly interested in ‘green’ and conscious companies. There isn’t much in a skip from a building site we can’t recycle now – from polystyrene to soft plastics, cardboard and now plasterboard.”
Plasterboard is currently being accepted at Albury Waste Management Centre from residents and the Building and Construction industry at no charge if the material is separated from other wastes and is offcuts from new plasterboard installations. No cement sheeting, fibreboards, asbestos or painted boards can be accepted as part of the recycling. “We need a high quality, contamination free product for our farmers – after all we will be eating food grown from these farms”
Notes:
This project was awarded $62,000 as part of Round 3 NSW EPA Circulate and Industrial Ecology grants Circulate, NSW Industrial Ecology Program
