EPA to promote gypsum wallboard recycling

With the help of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association will seek to recycle the more than 1.2 million tons of gypsum wallboard waste produced in New England annually.

When put into landfills, the gypsum in wallboard reacts with water to form hydrogen sulfide gas, which leads to public health problems. When recycled, the wallboard can be made into more wallboard or used for cement manufacturing.

The waste management officials have received a $25,000 EPA grant to increase recycling in the Northeast and will follow examples such as Connecticut with its stakeholders group identifying challenges and opportunities to increasing wallboard recycling.

Options include banning the disposal of gypsum wallboard in landfills, requiring recycling for state-financed projects, and getting better waste management practices in the construction industry.