If you are thinking about hiring a general contractor, you should read my blog before you pick up the phone or send that email. I am not a general contractor myself, but I have just finished restoring my home. It was a big project that involved working with multiple contractors over an extended period of time. Although I am not a professional, I learnt an awful lot about how to get the most out of a team of contractors and how to keep a project on schedule and under budget. I also learnt a thing or two about the work they were carrying out.
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Plasterboard is one of the highly versatile building materials used in construction. This material, made from gypsum, is utilised for a myriad of applications such as moisture control, fire protection and general insulation against thermal loss and sound. Nevertheless, do you ever consider what happens to this material when a building is demolished? What some people are unaware of is that waste that is generated from the use of plasterboard almost always ends up in landfills. Previously considered an inert, it was recently discovered that when the gypsum in the plasterboard mixes with organic waste such as paper, a chemical reaction occurs which is harmful to the environment. Thus, it is essential for contractors and homeowners alike to consider salvaging plasterboard and having it recycled for other uses. So what are some of the various ways that recycled plasterboard can be reused?
Manufacture of cement
The main component in plasterboard is gypsum. This compound is also essential in the production of cement. Without gypsum, cement would harden much faster once it has been mixed with water, and this would make it significantly harder to work with. By salvaging plasterboard and taking to a recycling plant, the gypsum in the plasterboard can be extracted and used in the production of cement.
Creation of soil supplements
Not many people are aware that the building supplies incorporated in the walls of their home or office can make a significant contribution to agriculture. Nevertheless, the use of gypsum in farming is a practice that has been around for centuries. The gypsum in the plasterboard contains hydrated calcium sulphate. These compounds, calcium and sulphur, are important in agriculture as they provide essential nutrients to plants. Therefore, whether you have a garden or simply want to help contribute to the food production industry, it would be a good idea to salvage plasterboard waste and have it recycled into soil supplements. The soil supplements made from plasterboard are especially healthy for plants such as mushrooms and potatoes.
Production of new plasterboard
Just as plasterboard can be used in other applications once it is recycled, it can also be manufactured into new plasterboard! There are a couple of reasons why recycling plasterboard to make new building supplies would be ideal. Firstly, this translates into less waste making its way into landfills. Secondly, the recycled plasterboard would be more economical as it would be cheaper to manufacture as compared to plasterboard that is being produced from scratch.
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