Gypsum

bovrill

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
East Essexshire
I got hold of some recycled plasterboard gypsum several years ago, when the landfill restriction was first talked about, and it was all a bit experimental. I spread it with a muckspreader at 50 tons an acre-ish on some horrible numb undrained clay, and it transformed it! Obviously you can't change the fact that it's sticky clay that you steer clear of in the wet, but the window of opportunity to get on it has gone from almost none, to one of the best bits on the farm.
The factory recycling it was new to the game, and so I had a bit to do with tweaking the product, and we went from the first stuff being like a dust, which would probably be best for low rates and fast dissolving, to a much courser mix, with lumps up to half an inch which spread better and gave a slow release.
Many years down the line, and I don't regret doing it one bit, and if we were free to do it again, I'd plaster :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: the whole farm in it at the same rate again!
 
Last edited:

phil

Member
Location
Wexford
I got hold of some recycled plasterboard gypsum several years ago, when the landfill restriction was first talked about, and it was all a bit experimental. I spread it with a muckspreader at 50 tons an acre-ish on some horrible numb undrained clay, and it transformed it! Obviously you can't change the fact that it's sticky clay that you steer clear of in the wet, but the window of opportunity to get on it has gone from almost none, to one of the best bits on the farm.
The factory recycling it was new to the game, and so I had a bit to do with tweaking the product, and we went from the first stuff being like a dust, which would probably be best for low rates and fast dissolving, to a much courser mix, with lumps up to half an inch which spread better and gave a slow release.
Many years down the line, and I don't regret doing it one bit, and if we were free to do it again, I'd plaster :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: the whole farm in it at the same rate again!
That has to be the most entertaining and unscientific post of the evening

I concur horse it on bad bits
 

bovrill

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
East Essexshire
Not scientific? OK, here goes:

Apparatus:
1 Sticky clay.
2. Recycled gypsum.
3. Dungspreader.

Method:
Spread lots of recycled gypsum on sticky clay with dungspreader, and mix together.

Result:
Sticky clay became less sticky.

Conclusion:
Lots of recycled gypsom is a good way of making sticky clay more workable.
But it might not be legal any more.

My old chemistry teacher would be proud of me!
 

Trying

Member
Can some just put it in simple terms. Is it ok to spread recycled plasterboard on land. And if so is it at the rate of 1ton ha.
 

phil

Member
Location
Wexford
Not scientific? OK, here goes:

Apparatus:
1 Sticky clay.
2. Recycled gypsum.
3. Dungspreader.

Method:
Spread lots of recycled gypsum on sticky clay with dungspreader, and mix together.

Result:
Sticky clay became less sticky.

Conclusion:
Lots of recycled gypsom is a good way of making sticky clay more workable.
But it might not be legal any more.

My old chemistry teacher would be proud of me!

Far more scientific than me so

Wet spot

Spread gypsum

Not as wet
 

shakerator

Member
Location
LINCS
The idea that gypsum flocculates clay particles seems only
valid in saline soils reclaimed from the sea! Is there some placebo affect taking place here?
 

Wastexprt

Member
BASIS
Can some just put it in simple terms. Is it ok to spread recycled plasterboard on land. And if so is it at the rate of 1ton ha.

If you spread recovered plasterboard at no more than 1t/ha, and as long as it is processed according to a certified system, then it can can be spread without a deployment.

EA Low Risk Waste Activity description below;

Spreading gypsum on agricultural land to add nutrients and confer benefit 1. The spreading of relevant wastes on land to confer benefit to the land for the purposes of providing, maintaining or improving the soil's ability to provide a growing medium by adding nutrients.

Waste Code Waste Type 12 month annual limit Storage Limit Period
10 01 05 Flue-gas desulphurisation gypsum (solid) only 1 tonne per hectare 30 tonnes at any one time 12 months
19 12 12 Recycled certified gypsum from plasterboard 1 tonne per hectare 30 tonnes at any one time 12 months

2. ‘certified’ means, in relation to recycled gypsum from plasterboard, certified by a statement issued in respect of that gypsum by the manufacturer or supplier confirming that the gypsum has been produced in accordance with the standard set out in the publication PAS 109:2013 dated June 2013. 3. The total quantity of waste spread does not exceed the limit specified in the third column of the table over the period in the fifth column. 4. The total quantity of waste stored at any one time does not exceed the limit specified in the fourth column of the table. 5. No waste is stored for more than 12 months before spreading. 6. The waste is stored in a secure location prior to spreading. 7. At the time the spreading begins— (i) the land has not been frozen for 12 hours or more in the preceding 24 hours, (ii) the land is not waterlogged, frozen or snow-covered; and (iii) The location of any waste which is stored or land which is spread is at least 10 metres from a watercourse and 50 metres from a spring, well or borehole


Hope this helps.
 

Wastexprt

Member
BASIS
I suspect that it helps, but at the same time it *doesnt* help. If you see what I mean.....

Sorry, sometimes it is difficult to put stuff in a nutshell where regulations come in to play.

However, as long as the gypsum comes from a 'certified' production process (think PAS109 and all bits and pieces that aren't recovered gypsum are removed) and application rates don't exceed 1t/ha, then it can be spread to land without a deployment. If the application rate will exceed 1t/ha, it can be spread to land but under a deployment.
 

Trying

Member
Thanks for that 360. One more thing. Seeking a deployment, does that open a can of worms and wish you hadn't started.
 

Wastexprt

Member
BASIS
Thanks for that 360. One more thing. Seeking a deployment, does that open a can of worms and wish you hadn't started.

Not really.

However, in order to obtain a deployment (£440/780/1000 depending on waste types and land location) you must first be a permit holder (SR2010#4 cost £720) which in turn means that you have to hold the relevant WAMITAB qualification. The deployment should be accompanied by an Agricultural Benefit Statement that should be written by a person with the relevant qualification (usually FACTS), soil analysis, maps and waste analysis.

All in all, quite involved but not a show stopper.
 

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