Warning: Seeing a dumpster full of fresh drywall offcuts got me thinking about our trash

I was walking my dog last evening and passed a house getting fully sheeted, with a huge dumpster just packed with clean drywall pieces. It looked like enough to do a small room, all going to the landfill. That stuff is mostly gypsum, right? Which isn't toxic, but it doesn't break down fast and takes up so much space. I know from my store that some guys will save the bigger scraps for patch jobs later, but this was all cut to fit and tossed. It seems like such a waste of material and money. Do any of you have systems for reusing offcuts or know about recycling spots for this stuff? I'd love to hear if being greener on site is even possible with tight schedules.

3 comments

3 Comments

lunar894d ago

Check if your area has a drywall recycling spot, some places take it for free. We always saved larger pieces for future patches, but it's tough with fast timelines.

barbara_kim934d ago

Fast timelines really make it impossible to save anything for later. We end up tossing so much usable material just to meet deadlines. Last job, we had a stack of half sheets that would've been perfect for repairs, but no time to store them. Recycling spots are a lifesaver when you can find them. It's frustrating how much waste comes from rushing projects.

zara4654d agoMost Upvoted

Actually some of those recycling spots charge a small fee, it's not always free like lunar89 said. Barbara_kim93 is right about the crazy waste from rushing, it adds up when you're paying to dump or recycle leftovers too lol. Our local place charges by the truckload, which still beats landfill costs but hurts the budget.