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Life cycle energy and material flow implications of gypsum plasterboard recycling in the European Union

Author

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  • Jiménez Rivero, Ana
  • Sathre, Roger
  • García Navarro, Justo

Abstract

Turning waste into a resource is a way to increase resource use efficiency and close the material loop of a circular economy. Gypsum plasterboard is well suited for this, because the raw material calcium sulphate dihydrate (CaSO4·2H2O) can repeatedly change its properties through a reversible hydration reaction. The waste hierarchy is applied when plasterboard is recycled instead of landfilled, which contributes to the European 2020 target of 70% recovery of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, as defined in the Directive 2008/98/EC on Waste. This paper evaluates the energy and climate impacts of different levels of plasterboard recycling. First, we formulate a life cycle model of gypsum mass flows in the European Union (EU-27) in the reference year 2013. This model constitutes the basis of the quantitative scenario analysis. Secondly, we assess the material flows, energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in different recycling scenarios. We compare the current situation (“2013 base case”) to two scenarios: a worst case scenario of 0% recycled gypsum (“Zero recycling case”), and a best case scenario of zero gypsum waste sent to landfill, corresponding to 18.7% recycled gypsum in new plasterboard (“High recycling case”). We find no significant variation between scenarios in terms of life cycle energy use, as lower impacts from gypsum mining, transport of natural gypsum and final disposal in the best case scenario are balanced by the energy for the transport of plasterboard waste and recycled gypsum and for material pre-processing during manufacturing. In contrast, life cycle GHG emissions are lower as recycling increases, largely driven by the degradation of plasterboard lining paper in landfills.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiménez Rivero, Ana & Sathre, Roger & García Navarro, Justo, 2016. "Life cycle energy and material flow implications of gypsum plasterboard recycling in the European Union," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 171-181.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:recore:v:108:y:2016:i:c:p:171-181
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2016.01.014
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Emery, S.B. & Smith, D.N. & Gaterell, M.R. & Sammons, G. & Moon, D., 2007. "Estimation of the recycled content of an existing construction project," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 395-409.
    2. Herrero, M.J. & Escavy, J.I. & Bustillo, M., 2013. "The Spanish building crisis and its effect in the gypsum quarry production (1998–2012)," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 123-129.
    3. Dodoo, Ambrose & Gustavsson, Leif & Sathre, Roger, 2010. "Life cycle primary energy implication of retrofitting a wood-framed apartment building to passive house standard," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 54(12), pages 1152-1160.
    4. Villoria Sáez, Paola & del Río Merino, Mercedes & Porras-Amores, César & San-Antonio González, Alicia, 2014. "Assessing the accumulation of construction waste generation during residential building construction works," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 67-74.
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    2. Rodríguez, Rosa M. & Labella, Álvaro & Nuñez-Cacho, Pedro & Molina-Moreno, Valentin & Martínez, Luis, 2022. "A comprehensive minimum cost consensus model for large scale group decision making for circular economy measurement," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    3. Cyrine Mrad & Luís Frölén Ribeiro, 2022. "A Review of Europe’s Circular Economy in the Building Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-19, October.
    4. Kylili, Angeliki & Ilic, Milos & Fokaides, Paris A., 2017. "Whole-building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a passive house of the sub-tropical climatic zone," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 169-177.
    5. Aitana Sáez-de-Guinoa & David Zambrana-Vasquez & Víctor Fernández & Carmen Bartolomé, 2022. "Circular Economy in the European Construction Sector: A Review of Strategies for Implementation in Building Renovation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-27, June.
    6. Jiménez-Rivero, Ana & García-Navarro, Justo, 2017. "Exploring factors influencing post-consumer gypsum recycling and landfilling in the European Union," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 116-123.
    7. Mark Anthony Camilleri, 2020. "European environment policy for the circular economy: Implications for business and industry stakeholders," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(6), pages 1804-1812, November.
    8. Saeed Morsali & Kambiz Rakhshanbabanari & Mohamed Osmani & Sergio Cavalaro & Matyas Gutai & Miguel Castro-Díaz & Bill Parker & Joanna Sparkes & Paul Needham & Scott Newport & Meaghan Sands & Alexis Ma, 2024. "Life Cycle Assessment of Plasterboard Production: A UK Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-21, April.

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