GYPSUM

 

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Gypsum products can be counted amongst the very few construction materials where “closed-loop” recycling is possible, i.e. where the waste is used to make the same product again.

Gypsum as such is 100% and eternally recyclable. You can always reuse Gypsum because the chemical composition of the raw material in plasterboards and blocks always remains the same.

Gypsum is definitely a construction material with multiple environmental benefits.

 

Project Overall Objective

The main objective of the GTOG project is to change the way gypsum based waste is treated. Despite the fact that a closed loop is possible, the reality is different. The GtoG project aims at transforming the European gypsum demolition waste market to achieve higher recycling rates of gypsum waste, thereby helping to achieve a resource efficient economy.

Closed loop recycling for gypsum products will only happen if:

  • Dismantling practices are applied systematically (as a standard) instead of demolishing buildings;
  • Sorting of waste is preferably done at source, avoiding mixed waste and contamination;
  • Recycled gypsum will meet stringent specifications in order to be re-incorporated in the manufacturing process;

The Project wishes to turn waste into a resource for closed-loop recycling in accordance with the criteria set in Article 6 of the Waste Framework Directive. Therefore, the GTOG innovative concept includes an integration of the supply chain to achieve higher recycling rates of gypsum waste.

 

GtoG Movie

The GtoG project has developed a movie which presents in detail the objectives and results of the project.

Gypsum products such as plasterboards and blocks can be counted among the very few construction materials where “closed-loop” recycling is possible.

The recycling process separates gypsum from paper. Both materials return in their original products.

The overall aim of GtoG is, thus, to transform the gypsum demolition waste market to achieve higher recycling rates of gypsum waste, thereby helping to achieve a resource efficient economy.

The creation of the movie enables the audience to get an essential insight on the project developments and is part of the Consortium on-going willingness to enhance the quality and availability of information to all the industry professionals and to all the stakeholders.

The movie includes the contributions from professionals covering not only the entire gypsum supply chain (demolition, recycling, and production) but also the full range of organizations represented in this ambitious project (universities, consulting agencies, and demolition, recycling, and manufacturing companies).

 

GtoG handbooks

“Best practices in the deconstruction of gypsum-based systems” and “Best practices in audit prior to the deconstruction of buildings”, are the titles of the handbooks published by GtoG project.

The handbooks collate and describe in detail the results from these pilot projects and also propose an assessment of the deconstruction versus demolition costs, as the global cost of the two options is a decisive parameter for choosing one of them.

These documents aim at becoming standard guidelines that will lead the European demolition companies to operate in an eco-efficient way and therefore help Member States to achieve the goals of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD).

 

Links

 

Files