drywall recycling

[leadarrows]

I have been looking at equipment for my drywall recycling business. I found a grinder...Hay Buster, Harry David 10. It is on an axle with a pental hitch and it looks too be less than five years old. 311 hours on a 300 horse Cat with a 20-foot folding magnetic conveyer.
Its in good condition it was used to pulverize wood trusses.
They won’t quote me a price till I make an offer. I have no idea what it is worth and so far I haven’t been able to find a similar machine on the web to compare it to. Any ideas on it's value?

[Steve Frazier]

Can you find out what the new price is? There also should be an ID tag on the machine somewhere that will give date of manufacture. If it's 5 years old, I'd start at 1/2 the new price and see where they go.

[Jerre Heyer]

Wish I could help you on the cost of the machine. When I was looking for shreaders and crushers for stumps and rocks the old stuff was going for about 10percent above scrap price for running machines 10 yrs and older.

Would love to get some info on you drywall recycling though if you don't mind sharing a little sometime. Have wanted to look into that in our area but don't have an outlet for the processed matls. Thanks alot Jerre

[leadarrows]

Would love to get some info on you drywall recycling though if you don't mind sharing a little sometime. Have wanted to look into that in our area but don't have an outlet for the processed matls. Thanks alot Jerre

Any outlet that uses lime as a soil amendment can use gypsum instead. Both calcium and sulfur in gypsum are essential plant nutrients.Gypsum is effective in loosening clay soils because it unites clay soil particles into aggregates. Aggregation of soil particles aids in the circulation of air and water through the soil system.

[Sled Puller]

Is there anything that you need to take out of it, before it leaves?

You just shred it, and spread it on fields?

[leadarrows]

Yes dime size or smaller particles will work fine. It looks better if you pulverize it till it's like powder but you have to remove the paper to get it to look as clean as lime for instance. The worms love the paper so it may look cleaner with the paper striped first but it isn't necessarily better. A paper stripper jumps up the price of the equipment you need considerably.Then you have the paper to deal with. Paper baler, fork lift truck to load the bales etc. Here in Indiana they just finished testing and concluding that it is alright to just grind it paper and all. I wanted to do this six years ago but couldn't afford the start up cost because of this paper issue. Now that they spent a few thousand dollars testing to find out what I told them six years ago I can hope to get this thing going. The IDEM people I spoke with do still have concerns about the green board and you can't recycle it this way for now. It's such a small % of the total though it's easy to pull it out when you have too. I just throw it in a dumpster along with the sweepings and other trash thats in the house. Quality control of the load of gypsum scrap is easy when it's being loaded on the truck at the job site. You just throw the trash and green board in a dumpster or bag it separate for disposal at the dump What I intend too do is build a holding bin and when I get a truck load of trash load it and make a trip to the land fill then. Once or twice a month should do it for me. The amount you spread would of course depend on your soil analise test and soil type in the field in question. Around where I live 3 tons per acre is an average dosage on normal to slightly clay soils. In heavy clay up to ten tons has been tested with good results.

Some links where you can read more:
http://www.human.cornell.edu/dea/extension/docs/sum96/wasteman.htm
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/ConDemo/Wallboard/
http://asceditor.unl.edu/archives/1997/carr97.htm

[leadarrows]

Well I bought a Tub Grinder. I paid $17,500.00 for it. This is a picture of a new one just like the used one I have.

Also I am up and running. The local paper did a story on my new business.
Here is the link.
http://www.heraldbulletin.com/homenews/local_story_200174942.html?start:int=0

I had some problems with the Zoning. I'M zoned Agriculturally of course and I still believe this business should be allowed as a Agra business but the head of the zoning department here feels like it's a commercial business. I had to get a special use amendment and it took three meetings to get it passed. My Lawyer fees will just about take all the first years profits but I will still enjoy cheaper disposal costs. If I can keep from growing broke for the first year my business plan is sound.

[leadarrows]

Well I do see some small differences. Here is a camera phone picture of mine.

[Ford LT-9000]

I don't know how you can get away with that for us its illegal to bury gypsum board. If you get caught illegally dumping drywall you will get fined and spend sometime in court. The fines are worse than you having a oil spill that gets into a creek.

For us to dispose of it at the landfill costs 250-300 dollars a metric ton then it gets taken to a gypsum recycler that makes new drywall with it. There is no any other way of legally disposing old drywall. If the drywall is wet then its classed as a dangerous waste now you will have one hell of a time getting rid of it.

[leadarrows]

I don't know how you can get away with that for us its illegal to bury gypsum board. If you get caught illegally dumping drywall you will get fined and spend sometime in court. The fines are worse than you having a oil spill that gets into a creek.

For us to dispose of it at the landfill costs 250-300 dollars a metric ton then it gets taken to a gypsum recycler that makes new drywall with it. There is no any other way of legally disposing old drywall. If the drywall is wet then its classed as a dangerous waste now you will have one hell of a time getting rid of it.
We are not burying it. Did you read the article? Besides it's already in the ground that's were it comes from in the first place. It's from old sea beds.

We use it as a soil amendment. That's the purpose of my new business to recycle it instead of putting it in land fills.

GYPSUM - The Universal Soil Amendment


Gypsum is calcium sulfate. The most common form of it is the dihydrate which means that each molecule of calcium sulfate has two water molecules associated with it. It is expressed as CaSO42H2O. The other form called gypsum anhydrite has no water.

Regular use of gypsum is essential to the sustainability of most irrigated soils. Irrigated land eventually leads to sodicity and salinity unless extreme care is taken. Gypsum is a key ingredient for the maintenance of agriculture on many types of soil and over a wide pH range, including sodicity.

Gypsum, in addition to prevention and correction of sodicity, include: greater stability of soil organic matter, more stable soil aggregates, improved water penetration into soil, and more rapid seed emergence.

For many reasons, gypsum can be considered to be a farmer’s best friend. Some of the reasons are multiple and interrelated.

Gypsum Mixing Procedure and Water Ratios

37 Advantages to Using Gypsum

Gypsum Improves Soil Structure - Gypsum provides calcium which is needed to flocculate clays in acid and alkaline soil.

Gypsum Helps Reclaim Sodic Soils - Where the exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) of sodic soils is to high, it must be decreased for soil improvement and better crop growth. The most economical way is to add gypsum which supplies calcium. The calcium replaces the sodium held on the clay-binding sites. The sodium can then be leached from the soil as sodium sulfate to an appropriate sink. Without gypsum, the soil would not be leachable.

Gypsum Prevents Crusting of Soil and Aids Seed Emergence - Gypsum can decrease and prevent the crust formation on soil surfaces which result from rain drops or from sprinkler irrigation on unstable soil. It can prevent crusting that results when acid soils are limed and the gypsum is co-applied with the lime.

Gypsum Improves Low-Solute Irrigation Water - Gypsum is used to increase the solute concentration of low-solute water used for irrigation. Irrigation water from rivers that no longer have sources of leachable salts either penetrate poorly into soil or cause soil particles to degrade which results in low-water penetration. The problem can be corrected with surface-applied gypsum or application with the irrigation water.

Gypsum Improves Compacted Soil - Gypsum can help break up compacted soil and decrease penetrometer resistance. Combination with organic amendments also helps, especially in preventing return of the compaction.

Gypsum Makes Slightly Wet Soils Easier to Till - Soils that have been treated with gypsum have a wider range of soil moisture levels where it is safe to till without danger of compaction or deflocculation.

Gypsum Stops Water Runoff and Erosion - Gypsum improves water infiltration rates into soils and also the hydraulic conductivity of the soil.

Gypsum Decreases pH of Sodic Soils ?? - Gypsum immediately decreases the pH of sodic soils or near sodic soils from values often over 9 but usually over 8 to values from 7.5 to 7.8. These values are in the range of acceptability for growth of most crop plants.

Gypsum Increases the pH of Acidic Soils ?? - One mechanism in which gypsum can increase soil pH enough in some acid soils to sufficiently decrease the level of soluble aluminum to grow crops satisfactorily is replacement of hydroxyl ions from some clay lattices by sulfate ions.

Gypsum Improves Swelling Clays - Gypsum can decrease the swelling and cracking associated with high levels of exchangeable sodium on the montmorillonite-type clays. As sodium is replaced by calcium on these clays, they swell less and therefore do not easily clog the pore spaces through which air, water and roots move.

Gypsum Prevents Water logging of Soil - Gypsum improves the ability of soil to drain and not become waterlogged due to a combination of high sodium, swelling clay, and excess water.

Gypsum Can Help Remove Excess Boron from Sodic Salt - More boron was leached from sodic soils when gypsum was applied than when the soil was leached without gypsum.

Gypsum Increases the Stability of Soil Organic Matter - Gypsum is a source of calcium which is a major mechanism that binds soil organic matter to clay in soil which gives stability to soil aggregates.

Gypsum Makes Water-Soluble Polymer Soil Conditioners More Effective - Gypsum complements or even magnifies the beneficial effects of water soluble polymers used as amendments to improve soil structure.

Gypsum Makes Excess Magnesium Non-Toxic - In soils having unfavorable calcium magnesium ratios, such as serpentine soils, gypsum can create a more favorable ratio.

Gypsum Corrects Subsoil Acidity - Gypsum can improve some acid soils even beyond what time can do for them. Surface crusting can be prevented. Gypsum is now being widely used on acid soils.

Gypsum Can Enhance the Values of Liming - Addition to soil together with time increased crop yields. The combination also decreased leaching tosses of potassium and magnesium.

Gypsum Improves Water-Use Efficiency - Gypsum increases water-use efficiency of crops. In areas and times of drought, this is extremely important. Improved water infiltration rates, improved hydraulic conductivity of soil, better water storage in the soil all lead to deeper rooting and better water-use efficiency. From 25 to 100 percent more water is available in gypsum-treated soils than in non-treated soils.

Gypsum Creates Favorable Soil EC - Gypsum, being readily soluble, results in proper buffered solute concentration (EC) in soil to maintain soil in a flocculated state. It is better environmentally and economically to maintain the needed EC with gypsum than with excess application of fertilizers.

Gypsum Makes it Possible to Efficiently Use Low Quality Irrigation Water - Use of reclaimed municipal waste water is important for conservation of natural resources. Reclaimed water can be satisfactorily used if amendments, such as gypsum and water-soluble polymers, are also used.

Gypsum Decreases Dust Erosion - Use of gypsum can decrease wind and water erosion of soil. Severe dust problems can be decreased, especially when combined with use of water-soluble polymers.

Gypsum Helps Plants Absorb Plant Nutrients - Calcium, which is supplied in gypsum, is essential to the biochemical mechanisms by which most plants nutrients are absorbed by roots. Without adequate calcium, uptake mechanisms would fail.

Gypsum Decreases Heavy-Metal Toxicity - Calcium also acts as a regulator of the balance of particularly the micronutrients, such as iron, zinc, manganese and copper, in plants. It also regulates nonessential trace elements. Calcium prevents excess uptake of many of them; and once they are in the plant, calcium keeps them from having adverse effects when their levels get high. Calcium in liberal quantities helps to maintain a healthy balance of nutrients and non-nutrients within plants.

Gypsum Increases Value of Organics - Gypsum adds to the value of organic amendments.

[leadarrows]

Gypsum Improves Fruit Quality and Prevents Some Plant Diseases - Calcium is nearly always only marginally sufficient and often deficient in developing fruits. Good fruit quality requires an adequate amount of calcium. Calcium moves very slowly, if at all, from one plant part to another and fruits at the end of the transport system get too little. Calcium must be constantly available to the roots. In very high pH soils, calcium is not available enough; therefore, gypsum helps. Gypsum is used for peanuts, which develop below ground, to keep them disease free. Gypsum helps prevent blossom-end rot of watermelon and tomatoes and bitter pit in apples. Gypsum is preferred over time for potatoes grown in acid soils so that scab may be controlled. Root rot of avocado trees caused by Phytophthora is partially corrected by gypsum and organics.

Gypsum is a Source of Sulfur - Gypsum is a source of fertilizer sulfur.

Gypsum Helps Prepare Soil for No-Till Management - A liberal application of gypsum is a good procedure for starting a piece of land into no-till soil management or pasture.

Gypsum Decreases Bulk Density of Soil - Gypsum-treated soil has a tower bulk density compared with untreated soil.

Gypsum Decreases the Toxic Effect of NaCl Salinity - Calcium from gypsum has a physiological role in inhibiting the uptake of sodium by plants.

Gypsum Multiplies the Value of Other Inputs - Gypsum can improve the response to all other inputs including fertilizers.

Gypsum Can Decrease pH of Rhizosphere - Increased calcium uptake by roots when gypsum is applied can decrease the pH of the rhizosphere.

Gypsum Keeps Clay Off Tuber and Root Crops - Gypsum can help keep clay particles from adhering to roots, bulbs and tubers of crops like potato, carrots, garlic and beets.

Gypsum Decreases Loss Of Fertilizer Nitrogen to the Air - Calcium from gypsum can help decrease volatilization loss of ammonium nitrogen from applications of ammonia, ammonium nitrate, urea, ammonium sulfate, or any of the ammonium phosphates.

Gypsum Can be a Source of Oxygen for Plants - The sulfate that is taken up by plants and metabolized releases the associated oxygen which is a source of oxygen to plant roots although a limited source.

Gypsum Helps Earthworms to Flourish - A continuous supply of calcium with organics is essential to earthworms that improve soil aeration, improve soil aggregation and mix the soil.

Gypsum Can Increase Water Retention in Soil - Gypsum when applied to sodic soil decreased levels of exchangeable sodium resulting in a large increase in water retention at a given tension compared with controls. Dry matter and seed yield were increased as a result.

Gypsum Can Increase Crop Yields - Gypsum for various combinations of the above effects can substantially increase crop yields from 10 to fifty %.

[Jeff D.]

I had some problems with the Zoning. I'M zoned Agriculturally of course and I still believe this business should be allowed as a Agra business but the head of the zoning department here feels like it's a commercial business. I had to get a special use amendment and it took three meetings to get it passed.

A neighbor wants to start a small construction business, and is now going through all the "public meetings" too hear from people who have concerns about it.

He won't be having customers coming to his house, only storing product in his shop, and having his equipment stored at his place, but apparently this is enough to need public input before he's granted an amendment.

I never did anything but get a permit to haul 600yrds in for a driveway, and add some culverts, when I started my business out of the house. I didn't realize I would need to apply for a amendment for this type of business. I worry about reprocusions now, but haven't had any so far (10 years).

Good luck in your new venture. It looks like you've really done your homework.

Now you've just got to get potential customers to see what they've been missing out on, and how you can fix that.:thumbsup

[Ford LT-9000]

It must be something new because around here used drywall is classed as hazardous waste. A contractor gets caught storing old drywall outside and it gets wet there are fines to pay.

[tuney443]

Soon enough,money will be classified as a hazardous waste-- right now it simply lines the pockets of politicians,lawmakers,government workers, and the likes--can you spell JOB SECURITY.Gypsum is mined out of the earth--why would it be hazardous somewhere else???Glad I don't live in Canada--no offense to those here that do.:confused: :confused:

[digger242j]

Gypsum is mined out of the earth--why would it be hazardous somewhere else???

With all due respect, oil comes out of the earth too, but everybody seems to get pretty upset when you spill any on the ground. That having been said, the information leadarrows posted certainly makes it look like gypsum can be beneficial, rather than harmful.

[Grader4me]

Soon enough,money will be classified as a hazardous waste-- right now it simply lines the pockets of politicians,lawmakers,government workers, and the likes--can you spell JOB SECURITY.Gypsum is mined out of the earth--why would it be hazardous somewhere else???Glad I don't live in Canada--no offense to those here that do.:confused: :confused:


I am a government worker and I work for the money that lines my pockets. Different countrys have different rules and regulations when it comes to issues like this. All of us at times probally scratch our heads wondering why they are so different, but they just are. Canada is very proactive concerning environmental issues. For example take ordinary road salt (sodium cloride) that is mined from the earth and what it can do to the plant life and drinking water supplies when applied on the roads as a deicer. Environment Canada has determined that salt is hazardous to the environment. So some things (and I am not refering to leadarrows post) mined out of the earth can be hazardous when applied to the earth. By the way...Canada is a pretty good place in which to live.

[Ford LT-9000]

No road salt used here either its the liquid stuff and its terrible it doesn't come off your vehical it gets into every crack and crevis we call it liquid car ruster. One winter and that stuff rusts your car faster than regular rock salt.

As for the drywall its the rules we have to follow I don't want to be spending anytime in court or looking through bars.

The one good thing is the gypsum here does get recycled the people that make the drywall recycle the drywall. With such a building boom here alot of used drywall gets hauled to the recycler.

[tuney443]

I'll stand by my thoughts and I know I'm right.And right now I'm really pissed off because I was ready to do a house demo until some nosybody went in the basement and reported they saw some asbestos insulation on pipes.Now the job will get delayed for who knows how long,only to have some abatement contractor place a bubble around the house and have his men wearingthe cheap rubber band type mask remove about 5 lbs. of the stuff.And like I said-no offense there Grader--I've been to Canada twice and I do think it's beautiful--only way too over regulated.

[Ford LT-9000]

You guys in the US have some tough rules on Asbestos I have watched This Old House and the stuff that has to be done to remove it :eek:

Lucky in my area Asbestos wasn't used in houses even the old ones.

[Grader4me]

I'll stand by my thoughts and I know I'm right.And right now I'm really pissed off because I was ready to do a house demo until some nosybody went in the basement and reported they saw some asbestos insulation on pipes.Now the job will get delayed for who knows how long,only to have some abatement contractor place a bubble around the house and have his men wearingthe cheap rubber band type mask remove about 5 lbs. of the stuff.And like I said-no offense there Grader--I've been to Canada twice and I do think it's beautiful--only way too over regulated.

Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts and have every right to express them...great thing about our country. You are right about some things being over regulated and it is not getting any better, just have to learn to live with it I guess.
About Canada...no offense taken:)

[leadarrows]

I'll stand by my thoughts and I know I'm right.And right now I'm really pissed off because I was ready to do a house demo until some nosybody went in the basement and reported they saw some asbestos insulation on pipes.Now the job will get delayed for who knows how long,only to have some abatement contractor place a bubble around the house and have his men wearingthe cheap rubber band type mask remove about 5 lbs. of the stuff.And like I said-no offense there Grader--I've been to Canada twice and I do think it's beautiful--only way too over regulated.
Just for the record we only recycle new construction trimmings. Demo materials are not used because of the paint and other contaminates that go along with old material.

[murray83]

i wanted to ask can u sell the ground up material to a plant to use in the remanufacturing process?

[bobcatuser]

This is the only place in the lower mainland that will take large quantites of dry wall. Are there any problems with using Gypsum as soil amender?

http://www.nwgypsum.com/english/home.htm

[leadarrows]

i wanted to ask can u sell the ground up material to a plant to use in the re-manufacturing process?

Yes but in order to do so you would have to use a different system than I am using. To use it in the re-manufacturing programs you must strip the paper first. I priced paper striping systems 6 years ago when I first started researching the idea. 250 thousand for the strip-er and then you have to deal with the paper. That means a paper baler and a separate market. All told to prepare drywall for re-manufacture use your talking a minum 500 thousand to get started.
For use as a soil amendment you just grind it up paper and all. I spent $17,500.00 for a tub grinder. Now I would love to upgrade to a better system someday...finer material would open up my customer base but I'M just glad I can afford to get started.
Then there is the additional shipping costs associated with sending the material to a re manufacturing facility. Those cost would of course very according to access to shipping methods and distance to deliver.
I am able to sell my product to local farmers that come in there grain trucks so I have no shipping costs.

[leadarrows]

This is the only place in the lower mainland that will take large quantites of dry wall. Are there any problems with using Gypsum as soil amender?

http://www.nwgypsum.com/english/home.htm

No none that I am aware of and I have research it exhaustively.
Some sites I have researched.

http://www.wastecapwi.org/index.html

http://gypsumagricycle.com/

[jd1364]

We use ground up sheet-rock to clear up muddy ponds. The finer its ground the faster it will clear the water.

[KeppleServices]

clear it up how? as in make it clean, or dry it up?

I am looking into this as a viable second source of income. I have access to a tub and horizontal grinder and means to ship the rock. This next week or so I will be doing a demo that will produce roughly 120 yards+ or rock.... Being a commercial demo job it will be almost 100% clean rock, as it is mounted on steel studs and they are separated for salvage.

[skata]

We use ground up sheet-rock to clear up muddy ponds. The finer its ground the faster it will clear the water.

local drywaller drops his scraps at a local farm. farmer puts it on the floor in his cow pens. it gets mixed with the cow manure, then he scoops it up and spreads it out in the fields.

[jd1364]

Kepple Services

Gypsum will clear a muddy pond in less than a week. It takes about 1500 to 2000lbs per acre. The finer the grind the better it works. The gypsum attaches itself to the suspended clay particles causing the clay particles to sink. We throw it out in the prop wash of a small boat. Will turn a pond almost white. I lived with a muddy pond for 10 years until I meet a gentleman on a job site that used it in his pond. He new the guy that had the recycling business.

[leadarrows]

clear it up how? as in make it clean, or dry it up?

I am looking into this as a viable second source of income. I have access to a tub and horizontal grinder and means to ship the rock. This next week or so I will be doing a demo that will produce roughly 120 yards+ or rock.... Being a commercial demo job it will be almost 100% clean rock, as it is mounted on steel studs and they are separated for salvage.


You need to check with your state Environmental people before you do that.
In Indiana we are only allowed to use clean/new construction scraps for soil application. Demo drywall has paint and sometimes glue contaminates that are prohibited. Imagine demo drywall with lead paint. Fines would put most business out of business.

[KeppleServices]

True, I had not thought of the wall coverings that are applied to the rock... even with the new scrap, there is LOADS of it being produces here with all the new building going on. Still worth something to look into.

[leadarrows]

True, I had not thought of the wall coverings that are applied to the rock... even with the new scrap, there is LOADS of it being produces here with all the new building going on. Still worth something to look into.

New scrap has never been applied to the wall will not have anything on it. You just need to keep the other debris separate.
I don't want to discourage you in any way. I am glad to hear anyone else is interested in doing this. It is not a get rich quick scheme but there is profit to be made. In my case we go in to the new homes and remove the scrap drywall so we profit from that and by not going to the land fill but by recycling the drywall instead we profit in saved dump fees and from selling the ground board to farmers as a soil amendment. Profit from both ends is how I make it work for me.
Recycling drywall keeps it out of our land fills and prevents the waste of a valuable resource that benefits agriculture as a whole and our soils in particular.

If we so happen to show some profits as well then. :cool2

[TALLRICK]

I have been recycling drywall and ceiling panels for quite some time, for personal use. The drywall I grind and bake to make plaster, for my old-fashioned plaster walls. The ceiling tiles I beat into a wet pulp, then created new concealed grid tiles for my home. Recycling also helped me make friends in the construction and supply businesses. I used demolition wood and wood scrap as the heat source for drying the gypsum and mineral fiber ceiling tiles. When I move and build a new home, I want to do this again. Ironically I never use drywall in anything I build!