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+--- Thread: Gypsum, anyone? (/showthread.php?tid=3995)
Gypsum, anyone? - godfreymik - 01-16-2008
I am a construction manager working with UHH to build a green building. One aspect we are working on is making use of our waste, rather than sending it the landfill.
The drywall cut-off have been ground and are available for use as a soil amendment here in Hilo. If someone were interested in taking it all, I would consider hauling it to your site.
Gypsum board is made of calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4ยท2H2O), a naturally occurring mineral that is mined from dried ancient sea beds. This particular drywall from new construction, and is made from virgin mined material, with no recycled content, so it is pure calcium sulfate and paper. Here on the Big Island, it can contribute calcium to the soil, much as some people use coral sand for.
Here is a link to a paper describing gypsum: http://www.natureswayresources.com/resource/infosheets/gypsum.html
If you are interested, or want more information, please contact me at 640-8134 or email me at godfreymik@msn.com
Mike Godfrey
RE: Gypsum, anyone? - Les C - 01-16-2008
We noticed that green board, the drywall board that's meant for damp rooms, like bathrooms, has fiberglass-like fibers in the skin. I don't get a reaction to it, but my wife gets a rash. Does regular sheetrock have the same fibers? Might this be a problem to gardeners?
RE: Gypsum, anyone? - gtill - 01-17-2008
Godfrey,do you remove the paper, and if you don't, would the appearance be potential for yuppie garden supplement. bagged or bulk for possible sale. It wouldn't bother me, but the discriminating gardener might object. It might hold water here, in dry areas it could be beneficial.
How much available in a condo demo?
Take it at 1/2 of the tipping fee, with free trucking. Pure rock only. Profit would come from product sales. I read it was absolutely non damaging and somewhat better than the calcium sand, with faster release! That was a university study. Sure would save a lot of landfill!
Thanks for getting the wheels greased. Had heard of but good to see it done. Now to make it pay!
I'd like some, but I'm on Oahu!
RE: Gypsum, anyone? - godfreymik - 01-19-2008
Glad there is interest. Regarding the fibers, yes, regular gypboard has minor amounts of fibers as well. They are not listed in the MSDS sheet, but I can see a few looking closely. I have not had any reaction to them, though. Regarding the paper, no, it has not been stripped. This batch was run through a chipper designed for mulching land clearing material, and the paper came out in peices 1/2" to 3" wide. The gypsum is a powder.
RE: Gypsum, anyone? - james weatherford - 01-23-2008
Gypsum from 'construction & demolition' debris for soil supplement is a done thing.
Please call me (982-5549) and we will definitely start some trials.
If you need to get it out of your way a.s.a.p., we'll work with you to make sure this happens right -- you are trying to do the right thing and we will help.
Also, have you talked to Bill Steiner, Agriculture Dean, UHH?
James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park
RE: Gypsum, anyone? - pslamont - 01-24-2008
I am currently in Thailand but would be extremely interested in this resource for our gardens. We live in Puna on N. Glenwood Rd and have 30 acres, so there is plenty of room to dump it if you need to get rid of anything soon.
What a cool thing to do here... I just LOVE recycling!
Pam
pslamont@yahoo.com
Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!
RE: Gypsum, anyone? - godfreymik - 03-07-2008
My apologies for not getting back to this forum for so long. I want to give an update on the gypsum. I see that I have missed several oportunities to make use of it, but I have managed to use it all up. The first batch, ground up into fairly small pieces of papaer and gypsum powder, was delivered to the County mulching facility. They mixed it with their chipped green waste and offered it to anyone coming for mulch. 12 tons was gone in two days. The remained, about 4 tons, was ground up on-site and incorporated into the topsoil being used for landscaping of the project. It completely replaces the Ca requirement, and partially replaced the lime requirement. We are going to use approximately 3 tons/acre, replacing about 2200 lb/acre of coral limestone and 1400 lbs/acre of agricultural gypsum. We are crushing it by running over it with a tracked machine, then tilling it into the topsoil, which is derived from cane washing.
I will try to post the results of that effort in a couple of weeks. In the mantime, we have avoided placing 15 tons of material in the landfill, and immporting about 4 tons of material.