Plasterboard industry signs up to producer responsibility

The Gypsum Products Development Association, which represents Knauf Drywall, British Gypsum and Lafarge Plasterboard have agreed to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill from manufacturing operations in Great Britain to 10,000 tonnes/year by 2010.

Gypsum Products Development Association members will work with the supply chain to cut the amount of plasterboard going to landfill

And, the companies have agreed to set up a take-back scheme to recycle 50% of plasterboard from new construction waste arisings by 2010.

Some 2.5 million tonnes of plasterboard were used in construction during 2006, generating 300,000 tonnes of plasterboard waste.

The waste-cutting agreement – known as the Ashdown Agreement – was signed at the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in London on Friday.

“Zero to landfill”
Crispin Dunn-Meynell of the GPDA said the industry would now be working with the government-funded bodies WRAP – the Waste & Resources Action Programme – and the Market Transformation Programme to develop similar agreements with distributors and contractors.

The agreement aims to move towards an “ultimate objective” of zero plasterboard waste to landfill.

Mr Dunn-Meynell said: “Much has already been achieved by plasterboard manufacturers and construction contractors in Great Britain, both in terms both of recycling manufacturing process waste and waste from construction sites. This new initiative sets tough but achievable targets for the future and, critically, has broad government support.”

Ministers
With England's new waste strategy expected to include more voluntary producer responsibility initiatives of this kind to cut business waste when it is published in May, the Ashdown Agreement has been welcomed by Ben Bradshaw, Minister of State for Local Environment.

Mr Bradshaw said: “This agreement represents an important step forward for the construction sector and it is particularly encouraging that it has been achieved on a voluntary basis.

“I hope the example it sets will be recognised by other parts of the industry and that sector-wide agreement can be secured,” Mr Bradshaw added.

The agreement has also been welcomed by Mr Bradshaw's Scottish and Welsh counterparts, with Scotland's environment minister Ross Finnie saying: “This is in line with our Scottish Business Waste Framework which highlights the role voluntary agreements can play in sustainable waste management.”

Environment minister for the Welsh Assembly, Carwyn Jones, said: “This agreement is a big step forward for the construction sector and I am particularly encouraged that it has been achieved on a voluntary basis. It is a great example to set for the construction industry as a whole, and I hope that it will lead to a further, sector-wide agreement in future.”