Guidance

Recycled gypsum from waste plasterboard: quality protocol

Published 12 August 2015

© Crown copyright 2015

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recycled-gypsum-from-waste-plasterboard-quality-protocol/recycled-gypsum-from-waste-plasterboard-quality-protocol

This quality protocol applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

1. When the final product is no longer waste

Recovered and recycled gypsum from waste plasterboard is no longer subject to waste controls when you can show that:

  • you’ve stored and processed the waste correctly, meeting all the conditions of the British Standard Institution’s Publicly Available Specification (BSI PAS) 109 for recycled gypsum from waste plasterboard
  • it needs no further treatment before its intended use as a raw material for making gypsum-based construction products like plasterboard and coving, or to make cement
  • it meets any extra specification requested by your customer

2. Waste you can use

Use only waste plasterboard as defined in the BSI PAS 109.

3. How to meet the quality protocol standard

3.1 Record your incoming waste

This includes:

  • the waste type
  • its volume or weight
  • the source of the waste
  • delivery date

How you have applied your waste acceptance criteria and established the waste is an allowed input.

3.2 Store waste correctly

You must comply with your environmental permit or exemption.

3.3 Process the waste following the specifications defined in the BSI PAS 109

Keep records of any inspection and testing carried out as part of your compliance with BSI PAS 109.

4. Unused quality protocol compliant gypsum: loss of non-waste status

Quality protocol compliant recycled gypsum from waste plasterboard will become waste again and subject to waste management controls if at any stage:

  • you discard it
  • you plan to discard it
  • it’s required to be discarded
  • it’s stored indefinitely with little prospect of being used

This applies to anyone holding stores of recycled gypsum plasterboard, not just producers.

5. Quality-compliant gypsum mixed with waste and non-waste

If you mix the quality protocol compliant material with:

  • other waste material, the whole mixed volume becomes waste and you must apply waste management controls
  • non-waste material, the whole volume is non-waste if it meets the standard for your intended and recognised end product

6. Paperwork and records checklist

You must keep information about your waste recovery process and recycled gypsum production methods for 2 years.

6.1 Incoming waste

Record all waste you accept.

6.2 Production data

Keep a copy of any inspections or test results that are part of your quality protocol compliance and defined in the BSI PAS 109.

6.3 Outgoing recycled gypsum

Keep copies of documents you give to your customers. Include:

  • the date of supply
  • the quantity by weight or volume
  • your name and address
  • the address of the site used to process the waste plasterboard
  • the name and address of the customer
  • a description of the receiving company’s business
  • the date of last test to BSI PAS 109
  • a copy of your quality statement, confirming you processed the waste plasterboard to the quality protocol standard and it complies with BSI PAS 109
  • the intended commercial use for the recycled gypsum (plasterboard or cement manufacture)

Processed gypsum intended for other uses or for disposal are subject to waste controls.

Your records must be legible and available to the regulator on request.

Back to top