Minor edits were made on 11/15/96 by Ronald Lee Still.
The purpose of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility of using ground gypsum wallboard scrap as a substitute for commercial land plaster in peanut production.
The project is a joint effort involving the N.C. Department of Agriculture, N.C. Department of Agriculture Extension of Pitt County, and the N.C. Office of Waste Reduction. The N.C. Agricultural Peanut specialist, Gene Sullivan, will coordinate with Sam Uzzell, Pitt County extension agent, on a farm test that compares using ground gypsum verses commercial land plaster in peanut production. If test results and economics of this project warrant the use of ground gypsum, this could eliminate approximately 15% of the waste from the overall construction and demolition (C&D) waste stream.
The project will take place in the eastern part of the state where peanut production is located. Sam Uzzell and Gene Sullivan have selected certain farms to test the material. Scrap gypsum wallboard that was acquired from an area building supplier will be used in the test. The gypsum wallboard will be ground with a machine and spread over a test area of peanuts with machinery on the farm of the test plot. Machinery will be supplied by the farm owner. Tests such as soil pH, presence of metals in the soils, and quality of the peanut meat will be performed by N.C. State University. There will be a control plot used for comparisons in these tests. At harvest, peanut vines and nuts will be tested for the presence of any contaminates as well as peanut quality. Test results will be compiled and become a subsection of a total report of C&D waste.
As gypsum wallboard scrap makes up such a vast amount of the C&D waste stream, it is very important that ways to utilize this product be found. Since the chemical make-up of gypsum wallboard is calcium sulfate and paper, it seems promising that this material can be utilized in various processes as a soil amendment. Peanut production is an annual crop that requires calcium sulfate for production and would provide an annual outlet for this product. Using this product in agriculture could save producers a substantial amount of money and save valuable landfill space.
