CITRUS COUNTY, PUTNAM COUNTY, OKALOOSA COUNTY AND THE NEW RIVER SOLID WASTE ASSOCIATION 1998-1999 INNOVATIVE GRANT PROJECT RECYCLING OF DISCARDED GYPSUM DRYWALL IN FLORIDA FINAL REPORT TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION JANUARY 31, 2001 SUBMITTED BY: PREPARED BY: CITRUS COUNTY GOVERNMENT UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA THE NEW RIVER SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATION ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND TIMOTHY G. TOWNSEND OKALOOSA COUNTY GOVERNMENT ALLISON H. BARNES KIMBERLY M. COCHRAN JENNA JAMBECK CARLSON This project was a collaboration of many parties, including Susan J. Metcalfe and Frank Wentzel from the Citrus County Solid Waste Management, Darrell O’Neal from the New River Solid Waste Association, Jim Reece from the Okaloosa Solid Waste Department, Charles M. McLendon and Thomas Edwards from R.W. Beck, and Judy DeVita from Jones, Edmunds, and Associates. The principal investigator on the project was Timothy G. Townsend from the University of Florida Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences. Allison H. Barnes, Kimberly M. Cochran, and Jenna Jambeck Carlson from the University of Florida Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences prepared this report. RECYCLING OF DISCARDED GYPSUM DRYWALL IN FLORIDA TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................ES-1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................1-1 OVERVIEW ..............................................................................................................1-1 MOTIVATION..........................................................................................................1-1 PROJECT OBJECTIVES..............................................................................................1-2 ORGANIZATION OF THIS REPORT.........................................................................1-3 CHAPTER 2 BACKGROUND ON GYPSUM DRYWALL ...............................................2-1 THE MINERAL GYPSUM ..........................................................................................2-1 GYPSUM DRYWALL ................................................................................................2-3 GYPSUM DRYWALL IN CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE ..................2-6 Drywall in Construction Debris.............................................................................2-6 Drywall in Demolition Debris...............................................................................2-9 Drywall in Renovation Debris.............................................................................2-11 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF GYPSUM IN CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DEBRIS ...........................................................................................2-12 GYPSUM DRYWALL REGULATIONS/LEGISLATION...............................................2-13 United States......................................................................................................2-13 Canada...............................................................................................................2-14 CHAPTER 3 RECYCLING OF GYPSUM DRYWALL ......................................................3-1 MARKETS FOR GYPSUM .........................................................................................3-1 REUSE OF GYPSUM IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NEW DRYWALL.........................3-2 GYPSUM USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PORTLAND CEMENT...........................3-2 GYPSUM USE IN AGRICULTURE.............................................................................3-9 Benefits of Gypsum in Agriculture ......................................................................3-10 Gypsum as a Plant Nutrient ................................................................................3-10 Gypsum for Improving Soil Structure ..................................................................3-14 Reclamation of Sodic Soils..................................................................................3-14 Correction of Subsoil Acidity ..............................................................................3-15 Other Agricultural Benefits .................................................................................3-16 Use in Producing Compost .................................................................................3-17 Environmental Issues with Reuse of Gypsum Drywall in Agriculture....................3-19 GYPSUM USE IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS ...................................................3-20 Gypsum as Aggregate in Concrete ......................................................................3-20 Road Construction..............................................................................................3-20 Gypsum as an On-Site Soil Amendment .............................................................3-22 OTHER RECYCLING MARKETS..............................................................................3-23 COLLECTION AND PROCESSING .........................................................................3-23 Collection and Transportation.............................................................................3-23 Processing Options and Issues ............................................................................3-24 EXISTING RECYCLING PROGRAMS.......................................................................3-27 New West Gypsum Inc.......................................................................................3-28 i TABLE OF CONTENTS Waste Reduction Products Corporation..............................................................3-28 AgriCycle, Ltd.....................................................................................................3-29 Gyp-Pack Container, Inc. ...................................................................................3-32 Doherty Construction Waste Management .........................................................3-32 Drywall Company Recycling...............................................................................3-32 CHAPTER 4 CITRUS AND PUTNAM COUNTY IRG....................................................4-1 PROJECT OBJECTIVES..............................................................................................4-1 CITRUS AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.........................................................................4-2 Citrus County .......................................................................................................4-2 Putnam County ....................................................................................................4-5 PROJECT TIMELINE..................................................................................................4-7 PUTNAM COUNTY WASTE STREAM ASSESSMENT.................................................4-8 CITRUS COUNTY WASTE STREAM ASSESSMENT....................................................4-9 Gate Survey at Materials Exchange Landfill .........................................................4-10 Survey of County C&D Debris Management Practices........................................4-11 Visual Survey of Waste Generation from Residential Construction ......................4-12 Waste Composition Studies................................................................................4-15 PILOT SEPARATION: PHASE I...............................................................................4-19 PROCESSING.........................................................................................................4-20 MARKET ANALYSIS ................................................................................................4-21 PILOT SEPARATION: PHASE II..............................................................................4-23 STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION .........................4-25 EXTENSION OF THE PROJECT...............................................................................4-27 CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................4-27 CHAPTER 5 NRSWA IRG.............................................................................................5-1 PROJECT OBJECTIVES..............................................................................................5-1 DESCRIPTION OF NEW RIVER SOLID WASTE ASSOCIATION ................................5-2 Location and Population.......................................................................................5-2 Solid Waste Management.....................................................................................5-4 PROJECT TIMELINE..................................................................................................5-6 SCRAP DRYWALL COLLECTION PROGRAM ..........................................................5-6 Separation from NRRL Class III Unit .....................................................................5-6 Collection from Manufactured Housing Facility ....................................................5-6 PROCESSING DEMONSTRATIONS..........................................................................5-8 Drywall Processing Using Standard Wood Chipper ...............................................5-9 Drywall Processing Using Aggregate Screen........................................................5-10 Drywall Processing Using a Trommel Screen ......................................................5-11 Summary of Processing Events............................................................................5-13