Gypsum recycling

Gypsum is a natural product, non-flammable and non-hazardous. Also it has a low allergy potential and thermal conductivity. Therefore, gypsum products are very popular for building materials. From a building biological point of view, this material can be processed into various building materials and be used in a lot of structures. Furthermore, gypsum has a special property. Building materials based on gypsum serve to regulate the room climate because gypsum absorbs moisture and releases it again. The property of gypsum products is perfect for a good living climate and fire protection in houses. On top, gypsum as a building material is harmless for the environment and provides environmental protection thanks to its natural origin – which makes building materials that contain gypsum often not only recyclable, but even biodegradable. However, recycling is the most efficient way to make the best use of gypsum waste.

To recycle high-quality gypsum from disposed plasterboards, gypsum boards, demolition waste and other types of gypsum-containing products, the gypsum must be separated from other materials such as paper, wood, gravel and rubble. But how much gypsum waste is generated each year and how is the precious raw material separated from mineral waste and recycled?

The construction boom in Germany is leaving its mark on the waste balance sheet. Old houses and buildings are being demolished and new ones are being built. If not recycled, the construction material can end up in landfills, despite the fact that it means a disposal of perfectly recyclable construction material. The statistically recorded amount of gypsum-based construction waste in Germany alone is today about 600,000 tonnes per year. Of this, about 50 % consists of recyclable material – waste from plasterboards or demolition for example. Current estimates already assume the disposal of one million tonnes per year by 2030. Germany-wide landfills for construction waste are reaching their capacity limits in receiving waste. To dispose it, the waste often has to be transported across national borders by logistics companies, which amplifies the bad impact on the environment even further. Reason enough for us to promote the reuse and recycling of recyclable material such as gypsum through our TRENNSO-TECHNIK®  processing plants – instead of sending a precious resource to the landfill.

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Our processing plants for used gypsum plasterboards as well as – among others – production waste from gypsum plasterboard production were created as a solution for smoothly separating the foreign materials as well as the carrier material (e. g. paper, foil, tiles or bricks). Using innovative technology, they ensure a high purity of the gypsum fraction for use and recycling in the cement plant.