National Gypsum and RT Dooley Construction Company have received a Green Award for forming a Drywall Consortium to make recycling wallboard easier. The award was given for the most innovative green idea. Last year, National Gypsum’s Mt. Holly Plant won the award for making a 100 percent recyclable product.

The awards program is sponsored by the Charlotte Business Journal working with the local U.S. Green Building Council Charlotte Region Chapter. The goal of the awards program is to highlight efforts that could provide a model for local businesses and organizations.

The Drywall Consortium includes Charlotte area contractors, waste haulers, landfill operators, and county agencies. The group meets at National Gypsum. Prior to the consortium’s work, contractors, who wanted to recycle drywall waste, had to have their waste haulers make a 70-mile roundtrip to a disposal center. The center grinds the wallboard to use on agricultural fields.

After discussions with landfill operators, transfer stations at landfills closer to job sites were established, cutting costs, saving fuel, and reducing the impact on the environment. One builder estimated it will save nearly 4000 gallons of gasoline and reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 45 tons this year by making the shorter trips.

The consortium has helped spread the word about the local drywall-transfer stations. The group hopes to work on recycling other materials such as concrete, wood, plastic and glass.         4/24/2009