Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword—it's a critical consideration in modern construction.
The growing demand for environmentally responsible building practices requires that we pay careful attention to the materials used, from their sourcing and manufacturing to transportation and installation. One key factor in this process is a material’s recycled content. The use of recycled content can help to reduce waste and contribute to a circular economy. But what exactly does "recycled content" mean, and why is it important?
What is Recycled Content?
Recycled content refers to the proportion of materials in a product that have been recovered from the waste stream. These materials are repurposed either during the manufacturing process (pre-consumer) or after a product has served its intended use (post-consumer). Using recycled content in construction materials helps reduce the need for virgin resources, decreases waste, and ultimately lowers the overall environmental impact of building projects.
In the case of plasterboard (or drywall), this typically includes recycled gypsum, which is 100% recyclable, but also recycled paper contained in the liners. Incorporating these reclaimed materials not only conserves natural resources but also reduces the carbon footprint associated with producing new products.
Pre- vs. Post-Consumer Recycled Content
Recycled content can be classified into two categories: pre-consumer, sometimes known as post-industrial content, and post-consumer materials. Understanding the difference between them helps assess the true impact of using recycled materials.
Pre-Consumer Recycled Content: sometimes also known as post-industrial recycled content, these materials are reclaimed during the manufacturing process before they reach the market. For instance, in plasterboard manufacturing, off-cuts from gypsum board production can be collected, processed, and reintroduced into the manufacturing cycle, reducing the need for new virgin materials and minimizing waste.
Post-Consumer Recycled Content: These materials have already been used by consumers, disposed of, and then recovered for recycling. In plasterboard production, this might involve gypsum recovered from deconstructed or demolished buildings. The material is processed and reused in new plasterboard, helping to close the loop on building materials and prevent waste from ending up in landfills.
Both types of recycled content are crucial for achieving sustainable building practices.
How Recycled Content is Measured
Accurate measurement and reporting of recycled content ensure transparency and credibility in sustainability claims. Recycled content is typically expressed as a percentage of the total material content in a product, calculated based on the weight of the recycled material relative to the total product weight.
Certification schemes and industry standards, such as ISO 14021, provide guidelines to ensure that these measurements are accurate and consistent. These standards help manufacturers verify and reliably communicate the recycled content of their products. For example, Siniat Universal Board has received SCS Global Services certification for containing a minimum of 27% post-consumer recycled content, offering verification and assurance to customers.
Why Recycled Content Matters
The use of recycled content in construction materials is a key component of sustainable building practices. Incorporating recycled materials into products allows manufacturers to significantly reduce the environmental impact of their products by conserving natural resources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with extracting and processing virgin materials.
Recycled content also helps design teams meet sustainability certifications like BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method). BREEAM recognizes and rewards the use of environmentally friendly materials, and products with verified recycled content can contribute valuable points toward achieving higher certification levels.
How Recycled Content Contributes to Circularity
Using recycled content supports the principles of circularity, where materials are kept in use for as long as possible, waste is minimized, and resources are continually cycled back into production. Unlike the traditional linear economy—where resources are extracted, used, and then discarded—choosing products with recycled content is part of the construction industry’s shift toward a more circular economy. Reincorporating pre-consumer materials is often considered to contribute to an effective, or ‘lean’ manufacturing process, with associated benefits for efficiency. In contrast, recovering and reusing post consumer recycled content is a conscious attempt to reduce reliance on virgin materials.
By keeping resources - like infinitely-recyclable gypsum - in use for as long as possible, and recovering and regenerating materials at the end of their service life, we move closer to designing buildings that can be easily deconstructed and materials reused, repurposed, or recycled.
Recycled Content is Here to Stay
Understanding what recycled content is, how it’s measured, and the difference between concepts like pre-consumer and post-consumer materials helps in making informed choices that support the environment and promote circularity. As the construction industry continues to evolve, the role of recycled content will only become more important. By choosing products designed with sustainability in mind, builders and developers can contribute to a more sustainable future for construction.
