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Is Plasterboard Hazardous and Can It Be Recycled?
Is Plasterboard Hazardous and Can It Be Recycled?
Home renovation or commercial projects can both produce lots of plasterboard which requires prompt and safe disposal. But many people wonder if plasterboard is a hazardous material, and whether it can be recycled. In this article, we hope to answer these questions and explain exactly how you can dispose of your plasterboard waste – easily and safely.
Is plasterboard hazardous?
Plasterboard is not classed as a hazardous material, though it is officially banned from landfill sites – and has been since 2005. Not only that, but many skip hire companies will not consider even handling plasterboard with the exception of a few firms, such as Brown Recycling. Because of these restrictions, many people have the misconception that plasterboard is dangerous – which is only true in certain situations and over a certain period of time.
Let’s explain.
The reason that many skip hire companies will not consider handling plasterboard is because it contains high amounts of gypsum e.g. sulphates. If plasterboard gets wet and is mixed with decomposing waste, a chemical reaction can take place to form the gas hydrogen sulphide. A surefire sign of hydrogen sulphide build-up is an unpleasant odour of rotten eggs. If left long enough, this gas can build up and have poisonous or corrosive effects, which is a big reason why landfill sites have completely banned this substance.
However, this formation of hydrogen sulphide is a slow process than happens over time, and is therefore unlikely to affect waste placed in skips – as it is often not kept there long enough for this to become a problem.
Can plasterboard be recycled?
As plasterboard is non-hazardous, it can be recycled. It is not illegal to place plasterboard into skips, so it is simply the discretion of the skip company whether to accept this material or not. But here at Browns Recycling, we are able to facilitate the recycling of any plasterboard that enters our skips. Alternatively, your local council may be able to help collect and recycle any gypsum-containing waste.
At Browns, we request our customers not to mix their plasterboard waste with other types of waste, as recommended by the Environment Agency. We require our customers to separate plasterboard from their general mixed waste so that our specialists can handle it as a segregated waste stream, allowing for greater efficiency and safety.
Brown Recycling are waste management experts and skip hire professionals, catering to Staffordshire and beyond. We have over 80 years of industry experience, allowing us to handle a wide variety of waste – including trickier materials, such as plasterboard. Please contact us today to find out more about our comprehensive services.
Got any burning questions?
You can ask us a question online using our contact form. Simply provide your name, email (purely for confirmation purposes) and the details of your enquiry, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Why choose Browns Recycling?
- Paper, Plastic & more recycled
- Dedicated recycling centre
- Aim for zero waste to landfill
What our clients say about us
“We are hugely grateful to Brown Recycling for their help on DIY SOS: The Big Build in Stoke. Dave and the team went above and beyond to clear the site and then bring in other suppliers who also supported this great cause. Thanks to the generosity of countless suppliers and volunteers, Stoke now has a community centre that will support its residents for many years to come.”
Read more testimonials
Hazardous Waste
- All packaging and documentation provided
- Completely safe service
- Can even take care of bulk liquid and empty drums
Recycling
- Paper, Plastic & more recycled
- Dedicated recycling centre
- Aim for zero waste to landfill
Hazardous Waste: Understanding the Danger
Hazardous waste is classified as waste that can be dangerous or harmful to our health and/or the environment. As a business owner, you must be aware if you…Fully accredited by leading industry bodies
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Excellent service on a recent Hazardous waste removal from one of our sites. Paddy and Stacey wasted no time in arranging for our waste to be removed in surprisingly quick turnaround. 10/10...
1 week ago -
Hired a skip to clear a huge pile of garden waste. Arrived on time, picked up bang on time, dead easy to book and pay. Courteous, helpful drivers. Job done! just as it should be, without drama. Highly...
1 month ago -
Very professional service and the customer service team are very helpful and knowledgeable. We have been working with browns and using their services for a number of years and cannot fault it. Very co...
1 month ago -
Terry was very efficient. We will use brown for skips again...
2 months ago -
Had problems with getting the skip into our drive but Browns persisted and 3 trucks later the 3rd driver got the job done. Incredible service from a very professional and competent company. Special me...
2 months ago -
Really efficient service, competitive price and they dropped off skip exactly where we asked them to. Easy to book a skip over the weekend using their online booking system. Very helpful when we nee...
3 months ago -
I ordered a skip at short notice and it arrived as requested. Having finished with it early Terry came and collected it very promptly which freed up the driveway. A Good service and reasonably priced....
3 months ago -
Brilliant service - I booked for the wrong date, but Browns were really helpful and changed the booking at the last minute....
4 months ago -
We chose Brown Recycling because out of the firms we rang the lady on the end of the phone knew exactly what we needed and was very helpful. ( Yes you can place a skip in a council paying car park) A...
5 months ago -
A big thanks to Phil, always helpful and polite when collecting cardboard, nothing too much trouble ....
5 months ago -
Christie has been great in providing us with a total review of our waste services on site. If you are looking at reviewing your waste service then I would highly recommend that you reach out to her as...
6 months ago -
really fast and a easy process. Thank you Christie...
6 months ago -
Christie has been most helpful and informative whilst booking a new service for plastic and general waste recycling. Would recommend :)...
6 months ago -
Christie was very helpful, she managed the whole process very efficiently and met our expectations. We now have the service and commercial offering we need for our business waste. We would recommend...
9 months ago -
Quick and really reliable service.... was a pleasure dealing with Christie!!!...
9 months ago -
Requested amendment to current waste collection. Very helpful and was able to answer all queries and adapt to our requirements. Definitely recommend...
10 months ago -
We had a visit today from Mark and Andy dropping off our new waste bin. I would just like to acknowledge their outstanding customer service. They disposed of the built up waste that we had gathered si...
11 months ago -
Full marks to Andy and Mark. Went above and beyond today and would highly recommend them to anybody looking to recycle large quantities of waste. Professional, efficient and very approachable...
11 months ago -
First time using Browns, they were clear, efficient and got the job done. Will continue to use their services....
1 year ago -
New to sorting a bin service for our new business. Christie and Brown Recyling has been great with helping us select the right type of bin required as well as not overspending for the sake of it. He...
1 year ago -
Super easy to set up a long term skip hire, Christie made things nice and clear and the prices were good too! everything was ready to go really quick, highly recommend Browns...
1 year ago