Flavie Lowres, FIS Sustainability Champion takes a look at the Plasterboard Sustainability Partnership (PSP) which was established in 2009 to improve sustainability across the plasterboard lifecycle. After losing momentum in 2019, it was relaunched in 2024 to raise awareness, reduce waste, and foster collaboration across the supply chain.
The Plasterboard Sustainability Partnership (PSP) was established in 2009 as an outcome of a Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) programme to develop a Plasterboard Roadmap, which identified the environmental impacts of plasterboard throughout its lifecycle. The PSP comprised a broad range of stakeholders involved in the production, installation and
disposal of plasterboard, as well as the relevant government departments and regulatory agencies.
One of the main outputs of the PSP was the publication of the Plasterboard Roadmap Action Plan, which was part of a series of publications called “Resource Efficiency Action Plans” (REAPs).
The objective of the PSP was: To improve the sustainability of plasterboard across the product life cycle by stakeholders working together on barriers and gaps, so going further and faster than the parties acting alone.
The PSP remained active until 2019 but then lost momentum. With sustainability rising up the industry agenda, the Gypsum Products Association (GPA) decided in 2024 to relaunch the PSP and identify potential areas of collaboration with stakeholders.
A workshop, organised by the GPA and supported by FIS, was held in October 2024 in London. Forty-five individuals attended, representing a range of stakeholders from tier 1 contractors to manufacturers, installers, demolition contractors and distributors, who came together to create a common understanding of key sustainability topics. The aim of the workshop was to gauge the level of engagement the PSP might receive if relaunched and to identify the sustainability areas on which it should focus. The number of attendees and the feedback from the workshop clearly demonstrated strong support for relaunching the PSP.
The intent of the relaunched PSP is to improve awareness and understanding among all stakeholders of existing knowledge about the role plasterboard plays in construction and of the sustainability issues throughout the supply chain, and to use this knowledge to develop practical and coordinated strategies for sustainability. This includes economic and social impacts as well as environmental ones.
Two immediate areas for attention were identified: the need to understand the availability of information regarding the life cycle of gypsum products, and the need to gather support for reducing waste in the value chain. Guidance has been drafted outlining how to minimise waste in the design, specification, and supply of plasterboard, as well as its installation and end of life. FIS members were part of an initial consultation during the FIS sustainability leadership group meeting, and a full draft will be circulated in early 2026.
Collaboration across the supply chain is important to deliver more efficient solutions. Responsibilities for reducing waste do indeed sit with different stakeholders, for example:
• Manufacturers can reduce waste in their factories, provide bespoke sizes to avoid offcuts on site, and set up take-back schemes to recycle both pre-consumer and post-consumer waste.
• Contractors can ensure products are stored properly on site to avoid damage and can plan installations carefully to minimise rework.
• Demolition and strip-out contractors can better segregate waste on site to avoid contamination of plasterboard and other materials.
The Partnership is an open forum for any company or trade association involved in the production, distribution, installation, and disposal of plasterboard and gypsum, as well as the relevant government departments and regulatory agencies.
The Secretariat will be provided by FIS and is aligned with the FIS Sustainability Leadership Group, which feeds back on the findings of the PSP’s work and provides data and evidence where necessary.
The Secretariat is responsible for maintaining the list of PSP members and their contact details, liaising with the Chair to set meeting agendas, and circulating relevant papers and minutes of meetings.
A steering group, including representatives from all GPA members, will meet annually to agree a programme of work and in advance of PSP events. There may also be a requirement to attend other events and sector forums as appropriate. The Partnership will appoint a Chair and Deputy Chair, who will report to the GPA Management Committee.
Oliver Cripps, Head of Sustainability, Etex UK&I and Member of the GPA Sustainability Committee, says: “Increasing efficiency, encouraging innovation and reducing waste will benefit the entire plasterboard value chain. The Plasterboard Sustainability Partnership is for all stakeholders and we want to hear from you!”
For further information regarding the PSP, please contact admin@the-gpa.org or visit www.the-gpa.org
