I HAVE been asked a number of times in recent weeks why plasterboard is not accepted for collection at the household waste and recycling sites, with one or two people complaining that they have made wasted trips.
As from April 1, this year, plasterboard and gypsum containing materials are no longer allowed to be mixed with general waste and sent to landfill.
Gypsum containing materials have been banned from landfill since 2005, although materials contain
ing less than 10per cent gypsum were allowed to be mixed with other biodegradable wastes until this year.
When buried in landfill sites with biodegradable waste, the oxygen depleted conditions allow for the formation of hydrogen sulphide as a toxic and highly polluting product of the decomposition of gypsum.
Since the original ban was introduced the science has improved and testing has shown that even with smaller concentrations, hydrogen sulphide can still be produced through fairly complex reactions.
When this evidence came to light the Environment Agency acted to ban the co-mingling of gypsum wastes and biodegradable wastes.
Gypsum wastes (including plasterboard) may only be landfilled now if mixed with other inert wastes such as building rubble and concrete.
Because of this requirement, household waste sites are only able to accept plasterboard and gypsum containing materials as separated materials.
Currently only the household waste sites at Crawley, Burgess Hill and Westhampnett (near Chichester) are able to accept plasterboard.
However, as a construction and demolition waste there is a limit of 200kg set per visit.
Fortunately gypsum wastes are relatively easy to recycle and usually the material is crushed to produce a powder which can then be used as a raw material for manufacturing more building materials and plasterboard.
No doubt that in the near future, figures will be available which show how much impact on recycling has been achieved by the landfill ban.
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