Gypsum Wallboard PDF

LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS OF
GYPSUM BOARD AND

ASSOCIATED FINISHING PRODUCTS
Prepared by:
George J. Venta, P. Eng.
VENTA, GLASER & ASSOCIATES
Ottawa, Canada
March 1997
DISCLAIMER
Although the ATHENATM Sustainable Materials Institute has done its

best to ensure accurate and reliable information in this report, the
Institute does not warrant the accuracy thereof. If notified of any
errors or omissions, the Institute will take reasonable steps to correct
such errors or omissions.
COPYRIGHT
No part of this report may be reproduced in any form or by any

means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without
written permission of ATHENATM Sustainable Materials Institute.
Text  1997 ATHENATM Sustainable Materials Institute
ATHENATM Sustainable Materials Institute

112 Brock St. East, P.O. Box 189
Merrickville, Ontario, Canada K0G 1N0
Tel: 613-269-3795
Fax: 613-269-3796
E-mail: wbtrusty@fox.nstn.ca
The Athena TM Project:
Gypsum Board and Associated Finishing Products
CONTENTS
PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1-1

1.1 Research Guidelines ................................................................................................... 1-1
1.2 Study Structure........................................................................................................... 1-2
1.3 Report Structure.......................................................................................................... 1-3
2.0 GYPSUM INDUSTRY - AN OVERVIEW..................................................................... 2-1

2.1 Industry Structure....................................................................................................... 2-1
2.1.1 Gypsum and Gypsum Board...................................................................................... 2-1
2.1.2 Gypsum Fiberboard.................................................................................................... 2-4
2.1.3 Gypsum Building Plasters.......................................................................................... 2-4
2.1.4 Joint Finishing Products............................................................................................. 2-5
2.2 Gypsum Board Manufacturing................................................................................... 2-6
2.2.1 Extraction 2-6
2.2.2 Calcination Plant......................................................................................................... 2-8
2.2.3 Gypsum Board Plant ................................................................................................ 2-11
2.2.4 Types of Gypsum Board Produced .......................................................................... 2-13
2.3 Gypsum Fiberboard.................................................................................................. 2-15
2.3.1 Gypsum Fiberboard Manufacturing ......................................................................... 2-15
2.3.2 Types of Gypsum Fiberboard Produced................................................................... 2-17
2.4 Gypsum Building Plasters........................................................................................ 2-17
2.4.1 Gypsum Building Plasters Manufacturing................................................................ 2-17
2.4.2 Types of Plasters Produced ...................................................................................... 2-19
2.5 Joint Finishing Products Manufacturing................................................................... 2-20
2.5.1 Ready Mix Joint Compound..................................................................................... 2-20
2.5.2 Dry (Setting) Joint Compound ................................................................................. 2-22
2.5.3 Products Statistics..................................................................................................... 2-23
2.5.4 Joint Paper Tape ....................................................................................................... 2-23
2.6 Gypsum Industry, Energy and Environment............................................................. 2-23
2.6.1 Energy Use and Efficiency ....................................................................................... 2-24
2.6.2 Atmospheric Emissions ............................................................................................ 2-25
2.6.3 Liquid Effluent.......................................................................................................... 2-26
2.6.4 Solid Waste .............................................................................................................. 2-26
2.6.5 Recycling 2-27
References 2-28
3.0 Raw Material Requirements and Transportation........................................................ 3-1

3.1 Raw Material Requirements - Gypsum Board ........................................................... 3-1
3.2 Raw Materials Transportation - Gypsum Board ......................................................... 3-3
3.3 Raw Material Requirements - Finishing Products...................................................... 3-6
3.4 Raw Materials Transportation - Joint Finishing Products........................................... 3-7
4.0 Energy Use - Gypsum Board ........................................................................................... 4-1

4.1 Raw Material Extraction and Transportation............................................................... 4-1
4.2 Gypsum Board Manufacturing................................................................................... 4-4
4.3 Finished Gypsum Board Transportation..................................................................... 4-7
4.4 Gypsum Board - Energy Summary ............................................................................ 4-9
4.5 Energy Use in Gypsum Fiberboard (GFB) Production............................................ 4-12
References 4-14
5.0 Energy Use - Finishing Products .................................................................................... 5-1

5.1 Joint Finishing Products Raw Material Extraction and Transportation ....................... 5-1
5.2 Joint Finishing Products Manufacturing..................................................................... 5-5
5.3 Joint Finishing Products Transportation..................................................................... 5-9
5.4 Joint Finishing Products - Energy Summary............................................................ 5-11
References 5-19
6.0 Atmospheric Emissions - Gypsum Board...................................................................... 6-1

6.1 Approach .................................................................................................................. 6-1
6.2 Atmospheric Emission Estimates................................................................................ 6-2
6.2.1 Raw Materials Extraction............................................................................................ 6-2
6.2.2 Raw Materials Transportation..................................................................................... 6-4
6.2.3 Gypsum Board Manufacturing................................................................................... 6-4
6.2.4 Finished Gypsum Board Transportation..................................................................... 6-7
6.3 Atmospheric Emissions Summary.............................................................................. 6-9
References 6-20
7.0 Atmospheric Emissions - Joint Finishing Products..................................................... 7-1

7.1 Atmospheric Emission Estimates................................................................................ 7-1
7.1.2 Raw Materials Transportation..................................................................................... 7-2
7.1.3 Joint Finishing Products Manufacturing..................................................................... 7-5
7.1.4 Finished Associated Products Transportation............................................................. 7-7
7.2 Joint Finishing Products Atmospheric Emissions - Summary.................................... 7-9
References 7-19
8.0 Liquid Effluents ............................................................................................................... 8-1

8.1 Liquid Effluent Estimates - Gypsum Board................................................................ 8-1
8.2 Liquid Effluent - Gypsum Board Summary................................................................ 8-6
8.3 Liquid Effluent Estimates - Finishing Products .......................................................... 8-6
8.3.1 Joint Compounds........................................................................................................ 8-6
8.3.2 Joint Paper Tape ......................................................................................................... 8-6
References 8-13
9.0 Solid Wastes .................................................................................................................. 9-1

9.1 Solid Wastes Estimates - Gypsum Board................................................................... 9-1
9.1.3 Total Solid Waste Due to Gypsum Board Production................................................ 9-2
9.2 The Use of Wastes in Gypsum Board Processing...................................................... 9-3
9.3 Solid Wastes Estimates - Finishing Products ............................................................. 9-5
References 9-5
Preface
This report was commissioned as part of the continuing program to expand the knowledge base of
the ATHENA project. The project was initiated in 1990 by Forintek Canada Corp., with the support
of Natural Resources Canada, under the name Building Materials in the Context of Sustainable
Development. Work on the ATHENATM project is now being carried forward by the ATHENATM
Sustainable Materials Institute, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping the building
community meet the environmental challenges of the future.
The ultimate goal is to foster sustainable development by encouraging selection of the material mix
that will minimize a building’s life cycle environmental impact. To achieve that goal the Institute is
developing ATHENA, a systems model for assessing the relative life cycle environmental
implications of alternative building or assembly designs. Intended for use by building designers,
researchers and policy analysts, ATHENA is a decision support tool which complements and
augments other decision support tools like costing models. It provides a wealth of information to
help users understand the environmental implications of different material mixes or other design
changes in all or part of a building.
The ATHENATM Institute is continuing the practice of publishing all individual research
reports and major progress reports to make the process as transparent as possible and to
ensure the research and results are fully accessible. To ensure continuity, previously
published reports are being reissued as part of the Institute series.
Institute studies and publications fall into two general categories: investigative or exploratory
studies intended to further general understanding of life cycle assessment as it applies to building
materials and buildings; and individual life cycle inventory studies which deal with specific
industries, product groups or building life cycles stages. All studies in this latter category are
firmly grounded on the principles and practices of life cycle assessment (LCA), and follow our
published Research Guidelines which define boundary or scope conditions and ensure equal
treatment of all building materials and products in terms of assumptions, research decisions,
estimating methods and other aspects of the work. The integration of all inventory data is a primary
function of ATHENA itself. ATHENA also generates various composite measures that can be
best described as environmental impact indicators, a step toward the ultimate LCA goal of
developing true measures of impacts on human and ecosystem health.
We believe this report and others in the series will be of value to people concerned with the
environmental implications and sustainability of our built environment. But we caution that
individual industry life cycle study reports may not be entirely stand-alone documents in the sense
that they tell the whole story about an individual set of products. For example, the report on
concrete notes how much steel is used for reinforcing various products, but the life cycle inventory
data for those steel products is included in the reports dealing with integrated and mini-mill steel
production. There are also transportation and energy production and distribution aspects that are
common to many different building projects, and are therefore handled separately within
ATHENATM.
Please contact us at the address shown on the Disclaimer/Copyright page at the front of this report
for more information about the ATHENATM Sustainable Materials Institute, or for other reports in the
series.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Forintek Canada Corp. would like to acknowledge Natural

Resources Canada for its funding contribution to the
ATHENATM Sustainable Materials Project. In addition,
Forintek would like to thank all of the research alliance
members for their timely work, their assistance and their
enthusiasm for the project.
The life cycle study described in this report was carried out by VENTA, GLASER & ASSOCIATES
under Forintek Canada Corp. Contract. The author gratefully acknowledges their support. Special
thanks go to the managers of the ATHENATM Project, Wayne Trusty of Wayne B. Trusty &
Associates Limited and Jamie Meil of JKM Associates for their enthusiasm and guidance. We
wish to thank all the major gypsum companies in Canada - CGC INC., DOMTAR GYPSUM, and
WESTROC INDUSTRIES LTD. - for their trust and cooperation in providing the necessary data input.
Thanks are especially extended to the following individuals for their valuable contributions:
Brian Colbert W.R. Grace & Co. of Canada Ltd.

Robert Daly Ontario Hydro
Gerry Harlos Domtar Gypsum
Mike Hunter CGC Inc.
A. Marchand The Beaver Wood Fibre Company Ltd.
David Shanahan Westroc Industries Ltd.
Francis Vrillaud Domtar Gypsum
Rick Weber CGC Inc.
We also want to acknowledge the following provincial and regional authorities and their
representatives for their input:
Michel de Spot Greater Vancouver Regional District

Serge Goulet Quebec MOE&F
Bernard Matlock Nova Scotia DOE
Don Murray New Brunswick DOE
Jean Van Dusen Manitoba Environment
Simon Wong Ontario MOEE
Finally, we want to express our thanks to the GYPSUM ASSOCIATION, to Bob Wessel and Jerry
Walker, for their support, willingness to review this study and to provide us with their comments.
Gypsum Board and Associated Finishing Products 1-1
LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS OF GYPSUM BOARD

AND ASSOCIATED FINISHING PRODUCTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This report presents cradle to gate life cycle inventory estimates for gypsum board and associated
finishing products, and explains how the estimates were developed. The work was commissioned
by the ATHENATM project as part of the continuing series of life cycle studies being done to support
the ATHENATM environmental decision support tool described in the Preface.
ATHENATM relies on life cycle inventory databases, termed unit factors, which include estimates of
raw material, energy and water inputs as well as atmospheric emissions, liquid effluents and solid
wastes outputs per unit of product. The estimates encompass production activities from raw
materials extraction (e.g. gypsum quarrying) through product manufacturing, including related
transportation. We have also provided estimates of typical or average transportation modes and
distances for the distribution of finished products from relevant manufacturing facilities to the six
regions covered by the computer model.
The estimates presented in this report were developed by Venta, Glaser & Associates with the
assistance and cooperation of the Gypsum Association and its member companies.
1.1 RESEARCH GUIDELINES

To ensure consistent and compatible approaches by the different alliance members, all estimates had
to be prepared in accordance with a set of research guidelines first issued in October 1992 and
subsequently revised as work proceeded. This research protocol defined information requirements
and procedures for the study, such as the following:
• the specific building products;

• the content of general and detailed industry descriptions;
• the specific energy forms, emissions and effluents of potential interest;
• the treatment of secondary building components and assemblies;
• preferred data types and sources (e.g. actual industry data and data from
process studies);
• the analysis scope, including system boundaries and limits and the level of
detail of the analysis;
• geographic divisions;
• transportation factors to be included when estimating transportation energy

use; and
• a set of standard conventions for dealing with such aspects as non-domestic
production, process feedstocks, in-plant recycling and multiple products.
In addition, the research guidelines provided a set of conversion factors and tables of standard
factors for calculating energy contents and emissions by fuel type.
The analysis limits established for the project in the guidelines are similar to a Level II analysis for
energy studies as determined by the International Federation of Institutes of Advanced Studies.
These limits typically capture about 90% to 95% of the full impacts of an industry.
The life cycle analysis framework, additional unit factors and related impact studies are discussed in
detail in the Phase III Summary Report. The Research Guidelines are available under separate
cover as part of the full set of project reports and we have not, in this report, duplicated that material
by explaining the rationale for all steps in the research and calculation process. For example, the
Research Guidelines require that empty backhauls be included when calculating transportation
energy use in certain circumstances. Our calculations therefore show the addition of such backhaul
mileages without explaining why backhauls should be included. However, we have provided full
explanations wherever our calculations do not conform to the guidelines because of data limitations
or for other reasons.
1.2 STUDY STRUCTURE

The systems model requires unit factors for the following specific gypsum boards and associated
finishing products:
• 1/2" regular gypsum board,

• 5/8" regular gypsum board,
• 1/2" Type X (fire-resistant) gypsum board,
• 5/8"" Type X (fire-resistant) gypsum board,
• 1/2" moisture-resistant (MR) gypsum board,
• 5/8" moisture-resistant (MR) gypsum board,
• 5/16" mobile home gypsum board,
• 1" shaftliner board,
• 1/2" gypsum fiberboard (GFB),
• 5/8" gypsum fiberboard (GFB),
• drying type ready-mixed joint compound,
• setting type dry joint compound, and
• paper joint tape.
Gypsum board and associated jointing products are essential building materials for the Canadian
residential, commercial, industrial and institutional housing industries, and we had to fully analyze
the gypsum industry before developing unit factors for these products. That fact dictated how our
study was structured.
Unit factor estimates for the Canadian gypsum board industry were developed and are expressed in
terms of material inputs or waste outputs per unit of product. Similar estimates were then
developed for the jointing materials required to apply and finish gypsum board-based systems.
These two sets of factors have to be combined in the ATHENATM computer model to develop the
desired estimates for a specific board application.
The analysis procedures and calculations are described in detail in the relevant sections of this
report. The key point at this stage is that the study was structured as two separate, but obviously
related, analysis streams — one for gypsum board and one for the jointing products of interest.
1.3 REPORT STRUCTURE

The arrangement of this report basically parallels the study structure. Section 2 of the report
provides the background information regarding the industry within the framework of the Canadian
economy. It discusses in some detail the industry structure, manufacturing processes, types of
gypsum board and associated products manufactured and used in Canada. The fact that gypsum
board is a composite material, and that its production consists of three distinct and separate
manufacturing steps [i.e. partial dehydration (calcination) of gypsum to stucco, paper (to be used as
gypsum board facings) manufacturing, and production of gypsum board itself through combination
of stucco and paper] affects the discussion of the manufacturing process. Section 2 also introduces
the major aspects of the industry with respect to energy consumption and environment, and
highlights some of the achievements in this area. Sections 3 through 9 deal with various aspects of
raw material balances, energy consumption and environmental issues of the production of the
gypsum board as well as the associated joint finishing products.
As indicated below, the basic progression in each part involves an overview section followed by a
series of sections dealing with each of the environmental impact areas (e.g. raw material use, energy
use, emissions, etc.) Results are presented to show regional variations and, as necessary, by
production stage (e.g. resource extraction, raw materials transportation, manufacturing and finished
products transportation).
The following regional breakdown was followed in the study:
• West (British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan);

• Central (Manitoba and Ontario); and
• East (Quebec and Atlantic Provinces).
The Research Guidelines prefer separate information for the West Coast and Prairie regions.
However, we had to combine these two regions into one, West region, in order to maintain the
confidentiality of data provided by manufacturers: there are only two plants on the West Coast and
two plants on the Prairies.
The report is organized as follows:
Section 2 presents an overview profile of the gypsum industry in Canada,

including a description of the different production processes, the
industry structure in geographic, process and capacity terms, and the
general nature of resource and energy use, emissions and other
wastes for both the gypsum board and the associated joint finishing
materials.
Section 3 details raw material use by the gypsum board industry on a regional
basis, and discusses raw material transportation requirements.
Section 4 describes the gypsum board energy use analysis and presents the
results, with sub-divisions by region and by stage of production.
Section 5 describes the energy use analysis for associated finishing products
and presents the results, with sub-divisions by region and by stage of
production.
Section 6 deals with atmospheric emissions associated with gypsum board

production on a regional basis by production stage, including the
analysis method and results.
Section 7 deals with atmospheric emissions generated by production of

associated finishing products on a regional basis by production
stage, including the analysis method and results.
Section 8 focuses on liquid effluents associated with production of gypsum

board and associated finishing products.
Section 9 deals with solid wastes generated by production of gypsum board

and associated finishing products.
At the end of each section, a summary of all the developed unit factor estimates is presented.
2.0 GYPSUM INDUSTRY - AN OVERVIEW

This section provides an overview of the gypsum board and associated finishing products industry
in Canada. It provides basic information on the structure, size, production volumes and
geographical distribution of the industry, and its position within the framework of the Canadian
minerals as well as construction industries.
The basic manufacturing processes for the production of gypsum board, joint compounds, and joint
paper tape, are shown and described. Related energy use and efficiency issues, as well as
emissions, effluents and waste outputs are also briefly discussed as an introduction to a more
detailed description of these aspects and the development of the appropriate unit factors in
subsequent sections.
2.1 INDUSTRY STRUCTURE

2.1.1 Gypsum and Gypsum Board
Canada has abundant sources of natural gypsum, a relatively soft rock-like mineral that was
deposited in ancient seas. Chemically, gypsum is calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4•2H2O) and
Canada is the third largest producer of crude gypsum in the world, after the U.S.A. and China,
generating about 7.3% of the total annual production of this mineral. In 1994, Canadian shipments
of crude gypsum were about 8,110,000 t valued at over $91-million.1 A substantial portion of this
production, over 70%, is exported, mainly to the U.S. markets. In Canada, almost 2.5 million
tonnes of gypsum were used in 1994. Over 70% of gypsum quarried or mined in Canada comes
from Nova Scotia, with the rest originating in Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia. On the
West Coast, some gypsum rock is imported from Domtar Gypsum’s co-owned San Marcos Island
deposits in the Baja California area of Mexico.
In the U.S., and we assume in Canada as well, about 71 to 75% of gypsum is used in the
production of gypsum board, about 2 to 3% for building and industrial plasters, about 14 to 17% in
the cement industry, where it is interground with clinker to control cement set, and the remaining
9% in agriculture.2
While natural gypsum represents at this time the overwhelming portion of the Canadian gypsum
supply, chemical gypsums are starting to be considered as options to natural gypsum. Synthetic
gypsums are most often a by-product of flue gas scrubbing (desulfurization), although co-products
of various chemical processes, such as titanium dioxide (TiO2) gypsum, are possible candidates for
gypsum board production as well.
Synthetic gypsums’ availability and use are new to Canada. Although chemical gypsums have been
used overseas for some time, the abundant sources of quality gypsum on this continent were not
conducive to a similar practice in Canada or the U.S.A.3 In 1995 a major gypsum board operation,
Westroc’s Mississauga plant, switched from gypsum rock to FGD gypsum, a by-product of flue
gas desulfurization, from Ontario Hydro’s Lambton Thermal Power Generating Station. This was
the first such conversion in Canada. It is reported that Westroc’s Montreal plant is also
supplementing natural gypsum with FGD by-product gypsum originating from the NYSEG’s
(New York State Electric & Gas Corporation) operations in upper New York state. Further, about
230,000 tonnes of marketable FGD gypsum/year will be available shortly from New Brunswick
Power Corporation’s Belledune Generating Station 3. Recently CGC started to use some TiO2 by-
product gypsum in its Montreal plant. It is estimated that up to 8-10% of Canadian gypsum board
capacity was poised to use non-traditional, by-product sources of gypsum beginning in early 1996.
Within the last fifty years, gypsum board, also popularly known as drywall or plasterboard, has
become the dominant product for finishing interior walls and ceilings in residential, commercial and
institutional buildings. More than 95% of interior walls in Canada and the U.S.A. are finished
using this inexpensive building material.3 In 1994, more than 267-million m2 of gypsum board
were produced in Canada.4 Quoting the Gypsum Association, Canadian board capacity at the 1994
year end was 345-million m2, which would indicate 77% capacity utilization.2 The total annual
North American gypsum board production capacity is 2.7 x 109 m2, or 9.8 m2 per capita, the
highest in the world.5,2
In Canada, gypsum board is produced in all provinces with the exception of Prince Edward Island
and Saskatchewan. There are three major companies producing gypsum board: CGC Inc., Domtar
Gypsum, and Westroc Industries Limited. CGC Inc. is about 75% owned by USG Corporation,
the largest gypsum products manufacturer in the world, while Westroc is a part of the BPB family
of companies, the second largest gypsum products producer in the world. Domtar Inc. recently
announced an agreement to sell its gypsum division to Georgia-Pacific Corporation.6 Typically, a
substantial share of Canadian board production, especially from the Quebec and Ontario plants, is
exported to New England, New York and Michigan, with some occasional exports to countries like
Denmark, Czech Republic, Cuba, Hong Kong, and Brazil as well as to the Middle East.
Most of the gypsum board manufacturers are large, vertically integrated operations mining or
quarrying their own gypsum rock, and producing not only a range of board products, but most of
the associated joint finishing materials as well. While gypsum products manufacturers also often
own and operate their own paper mills in the U.S., this is not the case in Canada. Facing papers for
gypsum board are made in Canada by only two independent producers, Beaver Wood Fibre Co.’s
plant in Thorold, ON, and CPL Paperboard Ltd. in Burnaby, B.C. The rest of the paper needs of
the Canadian gypsum board manufacturers are supplied from the U.S.A.
Table 2.1 shows the gypsum mining and gypsum board manufacturing operations, and their
locations.
TABLE 2.1: GYPSUM MINING AND GYPSUM PRODUCTS MANUFACTURING

OPERATIONS, 1994
Company Location Operation
Newfoundland
Domtar Inc. Flat Bay Open-pit mining, closed in 1994
Atlantic Gypsum Corner Brook Gypsum board manufacture
Nova Scotia
Domtar Inc. McKay Settlement Open-pit mining
Domtar Inc. Windsor Plaster manufacture
Fundy Gypsum Company Limited Wentworth and Miller Creek Open-pit mining
Georgia-Pacific Corporation Sugar Camp Open-pit mining
Little Narrows Gypsum Company Ltd. Little Narrows Open-pit mining
National Gypsum (Canada) Ltd. Milford Open-pit mining
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation Port Hawkesbury Gypsum fiberboard manufacture
New Brunswick
Westroc Industries Limited McAdam Gypsum board manufacture
Quebec
CGC Inc. Montreal Gypsum board manufacture
CGC Inc. St. Jerome Gypsum board manufacture
Domtar Inc. Montreal Distribution terminal only
Westroc Industries Limited Montreal Gypsum board manufacture
Ontario
CGC Inc. Hagersville Underground mining and gypsum board
manufacture
Domtar Inc. Caledonia Underground mining and gypsum board
manufacture
Westroc Industries Limited Drumbo Underground mining, closed in 1995
Westroc Industries Limited Mississauga Gypsum board manufacture
Manitoba
Domtar Inc. Amaranth Open-pit mining
Domtar Inc. Winnipeg Gypsum board manufacture
Westroc Industries Limited Amaranth Open-pit mining
Westroc Industries Limited Winnipeg Gypsum board manufacture
Alberta
Domtar Inc. Edmonton Gypsum board manufacture
Westroc Industries Limited Calgary Gypsum board manufacture
British Columbia
Domtar Inc. Canal Flats Open-pit mining
Domtar Inc. Vancouver Gypsum products manufacture
Westroc Industries Limited Windermere Open-pit mining
Westroc Industries Limited Vancouver Gypsum products manufacture
Source: Adapted from Ref. (1)

2.1.2 Gypsum Fiberboard

Gypsum fiberboard (GFB) is a product that is new to the North American markets, being
introduced here in about 1990. GFB products were developed over the last 20 years in Germany,
where the product has been quite successful, capturing about 20 to 25% of the total gypsum board
market. There are a number of competing processing technologies. What all of these have in
common is the fact that the finished board is “paperless”, that is, it does not have any paper facings
as does the conventional gypsum board. Instead GFB consists of about 18% ground waste
newsprint/magazine fibers uniformly dispersed throughout the gypsum matrix. It is this recycled
paper fiber that provides the reinforcement of the matrix instead of the paper skins.17
The only North American GFB operating facility is Louisiana-Pacific’s plant in Port Hawkesbury,
NS. The rated annual capacity of the plant using Carl Schenck’s AG technology is about 23-
million m2 per year, representing about 6.7% of the total gypsum board capacity. The plant’s
strategic location allows shipping along the Eastern seaboard of the U.S. Market penetration in
Canada appears to be limited at this time, and is perhaps more successful in non-traditional areas
(for gypsum-based boards) such as 3/8" thick 4' x 4' sheets of floor underlayment than in
competition with conventional gypsum board for wall and ceiling applications. L-P’s literature19
(October 1993) gives production volume as 6.5-million m2, which would indicate capacity
utilization of only 28% at that time. The corresponding share of L-P’s FiberBond® GFB would be
about 2.8% of the total Canadian gypsum board production and, as the bulk of the finished board is
being shipped to U.S. destinations, their market share in Canada is expected to be even smaller.
2.1.3 Gypsum Building Plasters

Gypsum building plasters applied over lath were used for centuries to finish interior wall and
ceiling surfaces. However, about 30 or 40 years ago, gypsum board replaced plaster as the premier
wall-cladding material due to its ease of application and economy factors. Plastering of the wall
surfaces requires trained, experienced workers. Although plaster can provide a superior wall
surface, these days only a fraction of walls are finished that way. Building plasters have been
largely replaced by more economical and easier-to-apply gypsum board systems.
Building plasters are formulated products that may contain, in addition to calcined gypsum (stucco),
hydrated lime, talc, clay, various chemical additives and admixtures to control product set, handling
and application characteristics. Some building plasters may also contain various aggregates:
materials such as sand, woodfiber, vermiculite or perlite. While some building plasters are applied
over gypsum lath or metal lath, more often veneer plasters are used in thin (1/16" to 3/32") coat
applications over a special type of gypsum board for veneer plasters. One-coat as well as two-coat
(base and finish coats) systems are available.
2.1.4 Joint Finishing Products

Joint finishing products are an integral part of gypsum board systems. Their role is to finish the
joint between the individual sheets of gypsum board in such a manner that even under critical
lighting the whole wall (or ceiling) gives an impression of a monolithic surface. Typically a paper
joint tape embedded in joint compound is used to “bridge” the joint. (In a relatively new
development, some glass mesh tape has been used for the same purpose, especially by the "do-it-
yourself" market.) Additional application(s) of joint compounds are required to provide a smooth,
uniform joint treatment.
Joint compounds are highly formulated products consisting of 8 to 12 different raw materials to
ensure a joint compound with the right application, performance and appearance characteristics.
Although the basic composition of each type of compound is common to all brands within that type,
different additives and admixtures make these brand formulations proprietary. Basically, there are
two types of joint compounds on the market,
• drying compounds, and

• setting compounds.
Drying compounds are usually calcium carbonate-based. The overwhelming majority are produced
as “ready mix”, compounded with other ingredients, such as talc, mica, thickeners, resin/latex,
perlite, preservatives, and water to produce creamy, easily spreadable paste. These compounds
shrink upon drying, and there is, therefore, a need for further applications of the compound and
“feathering” of the joint, with proper drying and sanding in between the applications, to obtain a
satisfactory joint. Ready mix joint compound is usually applied in three coats. Gypsum board
manufacturers specify about 67.4 kg of joint compound per 100 m2 of board (138 lb/MSF).20
(Similarly about 98 m of joint tape is used for 100 m2 of board (300'/MSF).) These amounts
already account for small joint compounds and joint tape wastes during their application.
Setting compounds are usually stucco-based and, therefore, come only in dry form. They are
mixed with water only just prior to their application and, depending on their formulation, they
typically then have a 45- or 90-minute “pot” life. As the hardening of these compounds is a
chemical reaction rather than a physical one (drying), their shrinkage is substantially lower than that
of the ready mix joint compounds. Due to their convenience, ready mix joint compounds are much
more popular than the dry powder materials. According to Statistics Canada, 131,844 tonnes of
ready mix compounds and 11,877 tonnes of dry powder compounds were produced in 1994.4
Joint compounds are produced and marketed by all three major gypsum board manufacturers, CGC
Inc., Domtar Gypsum, and Westroc Industries Ltd. Louisiana-Pacific offers fiber filled ready mix
compound compatible with their gypsum fiberboard. There are also a number of independent joint
compounds producers, among them Synkoloid in Vancouver and Edmonton, Ontario Gypsum and
Bondex in Toronto, Rayproc in Montreal, and Maritime Gypsum in New Brunswick.
2.2 GYPSUM BOARD MANUFACTURING

Gypsum board is manufactured in a two step process. In the first step finely crushed and ground
gypsum, calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4•2H2O), is heated and partially dehydrated (calcined) to
calcium sulfate hemihydrate (CaSO4•1/2H2O), called stucco in the industry, also popularly known
as “Plaster of Paris”. A unique characteristic of stucco is that when it is mixed with the proper
amount of water, it forms a smooth plastic mass which can be molded into any desired shape.
When the hardening has been completed, the mass has been chemically restored to its rock-like
state. This characteristic has also been used in the development and production of gypsum board.
In the second step of the manufacturing process stucco is mixed with a number of additives, foam
and an excess amount of water to prepare gypsum slurry which is extruded on a fast moving,
continuous board production line between two layers of special gypsum paper. “Raw” gypsum
board is then allowed to fully hydrate - calcium sulfate hemihydrate is converted back to dihydrate -
before it is cut to the desired size and before it enters a “gypsum kiln”, where at elevated
temperatures the excess water is driven off. The gypsum board is then stacked, ready to be
shipped. The process is described in literature from a number of gypsum board manufacturers as
well as equipment suppliers.7-12
The basic manufacturing steps are depicted in Figure 2.1 and summarized below:
2.2.1 Extraction
Rock mining/quarrying
Gypsum rock is open pit quarried or (underground) mined, generally by drilling and blasting, then
moved to a primary crusher close to the quarry/mine site. The primary deposits of high quality
gypsum in Canada are found in the Atlantic provinces, where open-pit quarrying is used. The
quarry process begins by first removing the earth over the deposit. Then gypsum rock is drilled
and blasted loose to be carried to the processing plant where it is crushed and screened. The largest
quarry in the world, National Gypsum's Milford NS operation produces up to 4.5-million tonnes of
gypsum a year. Quarrying is also a primary extraction technique used in Manitoba and British
Columbia.
In south-western Ontario, gypsum is mined in underground mines. There, gypsum lies about 80 to
100 feet below ground level. The deposits lie in flat beds approximately 48" thick, interlayed with
limestone. Either mine shafts driven straight into the ground or long sloping tunnels leading
through the overburden of soil, clay and limestone rock are used to access the gypsum strata. From
there extend “streets”, separated from each other by pillars of rock left to support the roof of the
mine. Domtar’s #3 mine in Caledonia recently went to a continuous mining technology using
electrically powered machines to cut the rock in place, thus eliminating the use of any explosives.
Front-end loaders, diesel-powered shuttle cars, trucks, hoists and conveyor belts are all used in
various quarrying and mining operations.
gypsum rock
(mined or crusher screen
gypsum
quarried)
bin
or hammer
mill
by-product
gypsum
(FGD or TiO2)
screen
Raymond mill continuous
kettle
H2O
additives calciner
stucco
bin
back
paper
board
knife
face pin mixer

paper
board kiln
stacking,
bundling
gypsum board to warehouse & shipping
Fig. 2.1 Flow diagram of a typical gypsum board plant using continuous kettle calcination
(adapted from Refs. 7, 8, 9).
Primary crushing
In the primary crusher, gypsum rock is reduced to approximately 2" - 5" or less in size. From here
the crushed rock can be sent to secondary crushing and conveyed directly to the mill, it can be
stockpiled, or, as is the situation in most cases because quarry and the production facilities are
usually not in the same location, it can be shipped by ship, rail or truck to the manufacturing plant.
In Canada only CGC’s Hagersville plant and Domtar’s Caledonia one are located directly on the
mine.
2.2.2 Calcination Plant

Secondary crushing, drying, milling
After primary crushing, gypsum rock may be sent through the dryers. Normally gypsum rock has
1-3% free moisture content (quarry water). At this moisture content level, it may by-pass the dryer.
However, if the moisture content is higher (typically up to 10%), as is often the case if the material
has been stockpiled outside, some drying in directly heated rotary dryers is needed in order to
reduce moisture to below the 3% level. Secondary crushers, typically hammermills, reduce the rock
further to about 1" in diameter. Baghouses are preferred to collect fine particulate matter, although
some plants may use electrostatic precipitators or cyclones. These operations usually take place at
the plant site.
In most of the processes the crushed rock is fed to the roller or other type of mill, where its size is
further reduced so that 90% will pass through a 150 µm sieve. The resulting form of gypsum is
called landplaster, referring to one of its possible uses. In some processes (Imp Mills, for example)
calcination and grinding can be accomplished simultaneously and, in such a case, no prior grinding
is required. Rock drying/grinding consumes ~6% of the total energy required to produce gypsum
board (not counting energy needed to produce paper skins for the board).13
Other sources of gypsum

Quarried or mined gypsum represents the bulk of the gypsum supply and consumption. However,
there are two additional sources of raw gypsum that can be used: waste gypsum (board) and
industrial by-product gypsum.
The term waste gypsum is understood to mean internally generated plant waste and, more recently,
also new construction waste collected and brought back to the manufacturing facilities, primarily in
the Vancouver and Toronto metropolitan areas. (No gypsum plants accept any demolition waste
due to possible contamination.) When waste gypsum board is used, it has to be broken down,
chopped and crushed. A variety of different equipment and techniques are used: Norba crushers
appear to be the most efficient and favoured ones. In some cases a portion of paper / paper fibers is
removed or screened from the waste gypsum stream. Typically, the gypsum board plants that
recycle waste gypsum board use up to about 20% waste in their gypsum stream. Unless prevented
by some technical reasons, producers like to do so, as it makes not only environmental, but also
economic sense.
Use of by-product, chemical gypsum is new to the North American continent. In the U.S.,
by-product gypsum represented only 3.6% of the total gypsum supply in 1994.2 In Canada,
Westroc is the first gypsum board producer to use FGD gypsum on any significant scale starting
in 1995.
Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum

Growing awareness of the environmental damage caused by SO 2 emissions and the resulting acid
rain, followed by legislative actions, spurred research and development of a large number of FGD
processes. Wet FGD processes are the most popular and the only processes that have the potential
to produce board-grade gypsum. These processes are well established and have been implemented
at many Japanese and German utilities, and increasingly in North American ones as well. Wet
FGD processes use lime or limestone and may or may not produce gypsum co-product. The
calcium sorbent reacts with SO 2 to produce calcium sulfite hemihydrate, which can be oxidized to
calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum). The production of FGD gypsum has four stages:
Stage 1 — Desulfurization: The dedusted flue gas is sprayed into a washing tower
with a limestone suspension in a counterflow operation. The primary purpose of
desulfurization is accomplished by eliminating the SO 2 from the flue gas. The
calcium sulfite thus obtained occurs as a sludge in the quencher of the washing
tower.
Stage 2 — Forced Oxidation: Conversion of the calcium sulfite sludge into gypsum
is achieved through its oxidation in the quencher of the FGD reaction vessel using
atmospheric oxygen. First, the highly insoluble calcium sulfite reacts with further
SO2 to produce calcium bisulfite, easily soluble in water, that subsequently reacts
spontaneously with atmospheric oxygen blown into the reactor to produce calcium
sulfate dihydrate, i.e. gypsum. This second stage is the operation that leads to the
conversion of waste sulfite into a product: FGD gypsum. In the course of this
stage, the gypsum crystals increase markedly in size, up to an average of 50 µm.
Stage 3 — Gypsum Separation: Large crystals of a desirable size are separated by

means of hydrocyclone and collected in a separate vessel.
Stage 4 — Washing and Dewatering: Finally, in the last stage, the gypsum crystal
suspension is filtered or centrifuged, and the gypsum cake is washed with clean
water to remove water soluble substances, especially chlorides, sodium and
magnesium ions. Dewatering to less than 10% moisture is achieved by means of
vacuum filters or centrifuges. The FGD gypsum thus obtained is a product
chemically identical with natural gypsum. FGD gypsum is a salable, commercial
grade gypsum suitable for gypsum board manufacturing or any other applications
calling for gypsum.
Processing of by-product gypsum by gypsum board producers poses challenges of its own. Due
to its very fine particle size and residual moisture, handling of by-product gypsum can be difficult.
Even if modern filtration presses and centrifuges are used for dewatering, gypsum’s moisture
content is in the 8 to 10% range when delivered to the gypsum board plants. Typically, by-product
gypsum has to be dried prior to its calcination using a flash dryer or a fluidized bed dryer, requiring
a major modification/up-grade of the existing natural gypsum handling operation. Drying of by-
product gypsum with 10% moisture content requires about 0.55 GJ of thermal energy and 0.04 GJ
of electrical energy per tonne.14
Calcination
Calcination is perhaps the most important step of the gypsum processing and gypsum board
manufacturing process. During the calcination, gypsum that in its dihydrate form contains 21% by
weight of chemically bound water is heated and converted to stucco, calcium sulfate hemihydrate:
heat
CaSO4 • 2H2O ———> CaSO4 • 1/2 H2O + 1 1/2 H2O
Although different types of equipment are available for calcination of gypsum, calcination kettles
that can be operated in either batch or continuous mode are the most commonly used equipment in
North America. To produce gypsum board stucco, continuous calcination kettles are usually used
with a throughput of 300 to 500 tonnes a day. Although several designs are available, the basic
principle involves an externally heated cylindrical vessel with a height greater than its diameter,
enclosed within a refractory shell and complete with stirrer, flues and internal baffles. Kettles can
be fired by coal, oil, or gas.
Gypsum (landplaster) is fed into the kettle from the top. Heat is introduced from a firebox below
and flows upward around the vessel. In submerged combustion kettles, a modern type of a
continuous kettle, a tube is installed so that combustion gases are discharged into the calcining
mass. The kettle contents boil violently, as chemically bound water is released as steam at around
120°C. Heavier stucco tends to settle at the lower section of the kettle from where it is continuously
discharged through a plunging tube into a hot pit where cooling occurs. In practice due to the
inability to heat all the particles of gypsum uniformly, the dumped stucco will often contain small
amounts of uncalcined gypsum as well as of completely dehydrated anhydrite. The modern
continuous calcination kettles require about 0.9 GJ to 1.0 GJ of energy per tonne of finished
stucco.15 In older, less energy-efficient kettles, the energy consumption can be as high as 1.3
GJ/tonne. Corresponding electrical energy requirements are given as between 0.01 GJ/tonne and
0.03 GJ/tonne. Calcination consumes ~27% of the total energy required to produce gypsum
board13, and represents the second most energy-intensive step of the gypsum board manufacturing
process.
Other types of calciners can be used, but lag in popularity behind the continuous calcination kettles.
At one time, counter-current direct heating rotary kilns, similar to those used in Portland cement
manufacturing, were used by the gypsum industry. Due to the improved design and energy
efficiency of the calcination kettles, most of the rotary kilns in the gypsum industry were replaced.
Now only Atlantic Gypsum in Corner Brook is using such a kiln. Domtar Gypsum is using Imp
mills (flash calciners with simultaneous impact hammermill grinding) in some of its operations, and
Louisiana-Pacific’s gypsum fiberboard operation in Port Hawkesbury employs a Claudius Peters
flash calciner that incorporates a ring ball grinder in its design. The energy efficiency of rotary
kilns is similar to large continuous kettles, while that of flash calciners is reported to be slightly
better.
Raymond mill, stucco bins

After stucco has cooled it is elevated to bins from where, in some plants, it is fed to a Raymond Mill
for further grinding to get the fineness needed. In the Raymond Mill stucco is ground by rolls
running centrifugally against the stationary outer ring.
2.2.3 Gypsum Board Plant

The layout of a gypsum board plant is usually U-shaped with the board line from the paper roll
stands to the board cut-off knife forming one side of the U, the transfer station its bottom, and the
board dryer returning parallel to the board line its other side.11
Mixing
Stucco for gypsum board production is blown from the supply bins (or mill) to the board plant.
The amount of stucco is metered and fed to the stucco feed system. Dry board additives and
admixtures such as starch, accelerator, retarder, and other ingredients depending on the type of
board being made, are conveyed and blended with the stucco in a mixing screw conveyor. The
blended dry materials, water with premixed liquid additives such as water reducers, and
pregenerated foam are fed directly into the pin mixer, and the resulting slurry is deposited in a
number of streams on the paper as it starts to form the board. To achieve the right fluidity of the
slurry, a volume of water in excess of the amount needed for complete hydration has to be used.
(This excess “water of convenience” will later be driven off during the drying process.) Two small
edge mixers are often used to prepare and deposit higher density slurry for the board edges, to
improve their strength and handling properties.
Paper
Gypsum board is frequently described as a sandwich, with gypsum in its core and paper as its
facings. Making the paper for gypsum board is as complex a process as making the gypsum board
itself.9 The raw materials used are waste paper from newspaper, magazines, and old corrugated
cardboard. Waste paper is fed by conveyor into a pulper, a large “blender” that disintegrates and
dissolves the old paper into a pulp, a slurry of paper fibers. The paper slurry is then cleaned of
various contaminants such as bailing wires, staples, glue and ink, before it is fed into the paper-
making machine. Two types of paper making equipment, i.e. rotating cylinders or Fourdrinier flat
wire machines, can be used to produce gypsum paper.
A cylinder machine rotates a large drum through a vat of pulp slurry. A wide felt belt passes over
the top of the turning drum of a cylinder. The cylinder pulls the pulp up and presses it against the
bottom of the felt, where it sticks to form a single ply of paper. It takes nine cylinder-made plies
pressed together to make a single continuous sheet of gypsum board paper.9 The characteristics of
the pulp entering the vats determine whether the system produces cream stock, called “ivory”, used
for the face of the gypsum board or gray stock, which makes the back side. The Fourdrinier
method uses two machines instead of nine to make a two-ply paper with the same performance
characteristics as nine-ply, cylinder made paper. The pulp slurry is systematically fed onto a
continuously running wire screen (the Fourdrinier). As the screen moves forward, water drains
from the pulp to create the paper. One Fourdrinier machine makes the surface (top) ply, which may
be cream or gray stock depending on the pulp mixture. The second machine produces the gray
(bottom) ply.
From this point, both systems operate in the same way. In the press section, the paper plies are
pressed together to squeeze out the excess water. Next, they enter a series of high-temperature
dryers where any remaining water is removed. The “bone dry” paper enters what is called a
“calender stack”, where different chemicals or treatments are applied to the top and bottom
surfaces to create the specific finishes required. For example, a dye and sizing agent will be added
to the top surface to produce the moisture-resistant characteristics for the moisture resistant
(“green”) board. The face and back paper each weigh about 45 to 55 lb/MSF. On the basis of
one source16 that estimates the energy content of gypsum board paper prepared from recycled
stock at about 25.4 GJ/tonne, we can extrapolate the related energy input into the finished gypsum
board at about 12.4 MJ/m2 of board.
Gypsum board line

The paper is placed on racks beside the pin mixer, where stucco slurry has been mixed with water.
The racks run above and below the exit of the pin mixer, so that the stucco slurry can be
sandwiched between the paper. The stucco slurry is then spread onto the ivory-coloured face paper
on a moving belt and covered, or sandwiched, with the top paper, or “gray back”, to be formed into
gypsum board at the master roll. As the board passes along the belt line the edges are formed,
shaped and sealed. The proper identification is printed on the “gray back”. The long continuous
sheet of gypsum board now travels about 200 to 275 meters on moving belts and roller conveyors
while setting (hydrating). The long board line is needed to allow the slurry time (about four
minutes) to harden before it is cut. By the time the end of the conveyor is approached, the stucco
slurry has set; hydrated back to gypsum.
Knife, transfer station

An automatic device trips a knife that cuts each board to the correct length. The individual boards
are now transferred, inverted, turned over, stacked six or even eight layers high and sent slowly back
to the drying kiln.
Gypsum board drying kiln

In the drying kiln, the excess amount of water introduced into the slurry mix in the pin mixer in
order to have the slurry of the correct working characteristics, has to be driven off. Oil, gas or even
electricity can be used as the source of heat in kilns. Drying of the gypsum board in the kiln
consumes more energy than all the other steps of the gypsum board manufacturing process
combined, representing ~67% of the total.13 The temperature and humidity in the kiln are closely
controlled in three or four separate sections, first a lot of heat, then gradually less. After some 60
minutes of drying the board emerges at the “take-off” end of the machine where it is inspected,
taped in two-panel bundles, stacked and taken to the warehouse, ready for shipment.
2.2.4 Types of Gypsum Board Produced

The industry has developed and is producing a range of different gypsum boards for different
applications. National Standard CAN/CSA-A82.27-M91 covers gypsum board, defines its various
types and specifies their composition and special properties. The types of gypsum board covered
include:
• gypsum board (regular gypsum board)
• type X gypsum board (fire-resistant gypsum board)
• vinyl-faced gypsum board
• foil-backed gypsum board
• gypsum backing board
• water-resistant gypsum board
• gypsum coreboard
• gypsum sheathing
• gypsum base for veneer plaster
• gypsum lath
• exterior gypsum soffit board
While some of the above boards, such as regular or type X, are produced in large volume, some of
the other materials are specialties only. Furthermore, many of the above boards are made in
different thicknesses: 1/2" and 5/8" gypsum board are among the more popular ones. Statistics
Canada does not provide a detailed breakdown for the volume of different boards produced,
distinguishing only between plain gypsum board, gypsum board covered with vinyl or other
substances, and sheathing.4 U.S. statistics are published by USDI Bureau of Mines2, and the
breakdown of various boards is more detailed. It states that of the prefabricated products, based on
surface area,
• 63% was regular gypsum board,

• 24% was fire-resistant type X gypsum board,
• 5% was 5/16" mobile home board,
• 3% was water- and/or moisture-resistant board, and the remaining
• 5% covered lath, veneer base, sheathing, predecorated, and other types of board.
Of the gypsum regular board,

• 82% was 1/2", and
• 10% was 5/8".
A detailed breakdown of gypsum board consumed in the U.S.A. is given in Table 2.2, and in the
absence of similar Canadian data we will assume a similar split for Canada as well.
TABLE 2.2: TYPES OF GYPSUM BOARDS SOLD OR USED IN THE U.S.A., 1994
Product Thousand Thousand Value %

square feet tonnes [US $] (based on
area)
Lath:
3/8" 6,886 4 1,410 0.0297
1/2" 137 > 0.5 24 0.0006
other 5,867 5 407 0.0253
Total lath 12,890 10 1,841 0.0556
Veneer base 419,149 374 36,667 1.8070
Sheathing 286,166 242 33,544 1.2337

Regular gypsum board:
3/8" 918,125 711 69,102 3.9582
1/2" 11,885,323 9,357 1,487,447 51.2395
5/8" 1,466,834 1,225 57,282 6.3238
1" 172,079 155 31,905 0.7419
other (1/4", 7/16", 3/4") 128,872 101 16,470 0.5556
Total regular board 14,571,233 11,548 1,662,206 62.8189
Type X gypsum board 5,526,219 5,157 460,985 23.8244
Predecorated board 87,066 78 27,872 0.3754
5/16" mobile home board 1,226,687 843 117,345 5.2884
Water-resistant board 658,432 558 84,529 2.8386
Other 407,790 382 27,168 1.7580
Grand total 23,195,632 19,192 2,452,158 100.0000

Source: adapted from Ref. (2)
2.3 GYPSUM FIBERBOARD

2.3.1 Gypsum Fiberboard Manufacturing
The basic raw materials for the production of gypsum fiberboard in Louisiana-Pacific’s plant in
Nova Scotia are local natural gypsum, waste newsprint/magazine stock from the U.S./Canadian east
coast, and perlite from Greece or New Mexico.18 Various additives and admixtures such as lime,
starch, accelerators, etc., are used as well. The board has a 3-layer composition: the surface layers
contain paper fibers and stucco, the core layer also contains expanded perlite, which helps to control
the board density by reducing its overall weight by 20 to 25%.
Raw materials preparation

The basic material flow is shown in Fig. 2.2. The waste paper bales are transported to the plant site
by barge. (The barge also takes the finished product back to the consumers in the more populated
areas on the east coast.) The waste paper is broken down first in a shredder to 2" x 2" clippings.
The hammermill reduces the particle size further to about 1" x 1" pieces, which are subsequently
milled down to fibers and wetted. Perlite arrives by truck and is expanded in four parallel lines to
about eight times its original volume. In a primary blender, perlite is mixed with water, and in a
secondary blender wet fibers are added to wet perlite. Natural gypsum comes to the plant from the
local Nova Scotia mine by rail.18 Gypsum rock extraction, preparation and calcination is done in a
similar manner as for conventional gypsum board, and as discussed in Sections 2.2.1 and 2.2.2
above.
Board forming and pressing

It is in the raw materials streams mixing, board forming and pressing, that GFB processing differs
from gypsum board manufacturing. The process is considered to be “semi-dry”, the amount of
water added to the raw materials (fibers and perlite) and on the line just before it enters the press is
carefully controlled and is close to the theoretical amount needed for stucco hydration. The three
layers and related three raw material blends are kept separate in handling and deposition on the line,
and can be identified in the finished product.
The forming station consists of three conveyor belts, one for each surface layer and one for the core
layer. In each layer a weight-controlled layer of prewetted fibers or prewetted fibers and perlite is
formed and a weight controlled layer of stucco is put on the top. Unmixed layers of wet and dry
materials are conveyed to the mixing heads in front of the press, and spread onto the press belt.
The board is produced in a continuous roller type COE Manufacturing (Washington Iron Works)
press. The press is about 30 meters long, and the residence time of the board in the press is about 3
minutes. As the stucco setting characteristics are accelerated by means of additives, the initial board
setting is finished before the board leaves the press.
gypsum rock
gypsum
quarried)
bin
or
by-product
gypsum
(FGD or TiO2)
Raymond mill screen

Claudius
Peters
flash
waste additives calciner
paper perlite
paper perlite
shredding expansion
stucco moisture
bin
fiber blending
mills
spreading spreading
surface centre layer
layers fibres fibres & perlite
mixing mixing
cross cut
saw
forming belt continuous press
stacking,
bundling
GFB to warehouse & shipping

board dryer
Fig. 2.2 Flow diagram of a gypsum fiberboard (GFB) plant with a Claudius Peters flash
calciner (adapted from Refs. 18, 34).
Board line, kiln dryer

After the press, the continuous ribbon of the “green board” is cut to 22- or 24-foot-long pieces
using a high pressure water jet, and after about 15 minutes spent moving on the conveyor and
completing the hydration in a manner similar to that of conventional gypsum board, GFB enters the
first heating zone of an 8-deck Dornier dryer. The dryer has a screen belt as a carrier and jet
nozzles to distribute the hot air evenly onto the boards. It has 17 heating zones, each individually
controlled. The source of heating energy is propane gas. The residence time of the board in the
kiln dryer is about 25 minutes, and the final board moisture content is about 0.8%. A finishing area
for final trim and cutting, application of seal coat, stackers etc. follows the dryer.18
2.3.2 Types of Gypsum Fiberboard Produced

Louisiana-Pacific is producing three types of gypsum fiberboard:
• 1/4" and 3/8" FiberBond® GFB floor underlayment,

• 1/2" and 5/8" FiberBond® GFB exterior wall sheathing, and
• 1/2" and 5/8" FiberBond® GFB board.
As noted in Section 2.1.2, we estimate that all L-P’s FiberBond® GFB products combined have a
2.8% share of the total Canadian gypsum board production.
2.4 GYPSUM BUILDING PLASTERS

2.4.1 Gypsum Building Plasters Manufacturing
As noted in Section 2.1.3, gypsum board largely replaced plaster as the premier wall-cladding
material. Their market share in Canada is limited, and their manufacturing process is discussed
here only briefly.
Extraction, crushing, milling, calcination, stucco milling

The gypsum plasters manufacturing process, with the exception of final milling, formulating and
bagging, is the same as that of gypsum board. Steps 1 through 5 of the gypsum board production,
i.e. extraction and preparation of raw materials, their crushing and milling, and the calcination
process with subsequent grinding in a Raymond mill, as described in Section 2.2.1 and 2.2.2 are
the same. (However, some gypsum facilities use separate production lines and smaller batch kettle
calciners to give them more flexibility in producing plaster stucco. Another reason for a separate
line is that the inclusion of paper fibers from the recycled gypsum board construction waste in
building plasters is undesirable.) Fig. 2.3 shows a flow diagram of the gypsum plaster
manufacturing process.
gypsum rock
gypsum
quarried)
bin
or hammer
mill
by-product
gypsum
(FGD or TiO2)
screen
tube mill batch
kettle
calciner
additives
stucco stucco stucco

bin bin bin
weighting / mixing belt
mixing &
packing
stations
building and industrial plasters to warehouse & shipping
Fig. 2.3 Flow diagram of a gypsum building and industrial plasters manufacturing plant with
a kettle calciner (adapted from Ref. 7).
Plaster Manufacturing - Grinding / Tube mill

Raymond mill stucco is passed through a tube mill. This is a long tube filled with iron balls of
various sizes which grind the stucco to the required fineness. Plasters require stucco of higher
surface area than gypsum board stucco.
Additives / Plaster mixer / Packer

Plaster additives such as lime, talc, clays, and various admixtures regulating plaster set, are mixed
with the tube mill stucco in the plaster mixer to produce plaster of the desired handling, application
and performance properties. The building / veneer plasters (or industrial plasters) are then bagged
in the packer and taken to the warehouse for shipment.3
2.4.2 Types of Plasters Produced

The market for building/veneer plasters is small. Some gypsum manufacturers produce plasters in
Canada, others bring them from the U.S. There is little information in the public domain regarding
the size and regional distribution of veneer plasters in Canada. In the U.S.A. 553,000 tonnes of
plasters were produced in 1994 vs. 19,200,000 tonnes of gypsum board.2 The above tonnage for
plasters, however, is the total for building and industrial plasters, which normally split the total
production in about a 60 to 40 ratio. Our estimate, based on some Gypsum Association
breakdowns between different types of materials, is that in the U.S. the following volumes of
different calcined gypsum products were produced in 1994 (Table 2.3).
TABLE 2.3: CALCINED GYPSUM PRODUCTS SOLD OR USED IN THE U.S.A. IN 1994
Product Volume [tonnes] %
Regular Plasters 155,400 0.79

Veneer Plasters 148,900 0.75
Gauging Plaster & Keene's Cement 24,700 0.13
Sub-total Building Plasters 329,000 1.67
Sub total Industrial Plasters 224,000 1.13
Total Building and Industrial Plasters 553,000 2.80
Prefabricated Products (Gypsum board) 19,192,000 97.20
TOTAL CALCINED GYPSUM PRODUCTS 19,745,000 100.00
In the absence of similar Canadian data we will assume that plaster products have a similar share of
the market in Canada, athough there are some indications that they are used here even less than in
the U.S. However, as the total of all building plasters represents only 1.67% of the total calcined
gypsum products, we will omit them from development of detailed unit factor estimates, and
concentrate instead on a variety of gypsum boards dominating the gypsum products markets.
2.5 JOINT FINISHING PRODUCTS MANUFACTURING

To apply gypsum board and to finish joints, drywall nails or screws are needed, as well as drywall
tape and joint compound. Gypsum board manufacturers20 provide typical usage for these
associated finishing products as follows:
• ready mixed joint compound: 67.4 kg/100 m2

• setting joint compound: 35.2 kg/100 m2
• paper tape: 98 m/100 m2.
Similarly, the approximate usage for various fasteners is as follows:
• drywall nails 1 1/4": 2.20 kg/100 m2

• 1 5/8": 2.81 kg/100 m2
• drywall screws 1 1/4": 2.07 kg/100 m2
• 1 5/8": 2.73 kg/100 m2.
2.5.1 Ready Mix Joint Compound

Ready mix joint compounds represent over 90% of the total joint finishing materials used in
Canada. Their formulas are proprietary, nevertheless they share the same major raw material
components, and their development is as much an art as it is a science. An experienced formulator
is critical to their success. Generic formulations used in the development of the unit factors in this
study are shown later. The two main constituents of ready mix are:
• water, acting as a vehicle, and

• calcium carbonate (CaCO3), finely ground limestone, functioning as a filler.
These two raw materials represent about 80 to 90% of the total composition. In some formulations
a portion of limestone is replaced by gypsum. Other components whose share is above 2% (by
weight) of the total can include:
• talc,
• mica,
• specialty clays, such as attapulgite or kaolin, and
• resin (latex), usually polyvinyl acetate, functioning as a binder.
Lightweight formulas can contain perlite. The joint compound formulas are completed with
different admixtures and additives, such as cellulosic thickeners, starches, surfactants, dispersants,
flocculants, and preservatives (antibacterial and antifungal agents); all of these being used in minute
quantities only. Typically, ready mix compounds contain about 65% solids. Virtually all of these,
as indicated, are industrial minerals that are quarried or mined, crushed and ground to the
appropriate fineness. Joint compound manufacturers generally purchase rather than mine the raw
materials. The basic manufacturing process is depicted in Fig. 2.4 and summarized below.
dry raw
materials bagged dry raw resin
in bulk materials &
water
additives
ribbon mixer
dry powder
mixer
pump discharge
weigh scale
pulverizer & inspection
station
packer packer
valve bags pails or box containers
palletizer
weigh scale
& inspection
station
warehousing & shipping
Fig. 2.4 Flow diagram of a joint compound producing plant (adapted from Ref.7).
Industrial minerals extraction & preparation

The main component, calcium carbonate, is abundantly available. Limestone is mined by open-pit
methods, requiring no special equipment. Overburden is removed using bulldozers, draglines, or
hydraulic shovels. The rock is drilled and blasted. The broken stone is loaded into dump trucks
and hauled to the primary crushers, or it is loaded onto a conveyor and carried directly to a portable
or permanent crusher. For most uses of limestone, it must travel through a secondary crusher and
be sized. Where fine particle size is required, as in joint compounds, it has to be ground.16,21
Other industrial minerals used, such as talc, mica and clays are extracted and prepared in a similar
manner. The mining and production of gypsum have been discussed under gypsum board (Section
2.2.1).
Latex binder
The only raw material accounting for more than 2% of the mass of the ready mix joint compound
composition other than industrial minerals is a latex binder, usually polyvinyl acetate (PVA).
Polyvinyl acetate is prepared by introducing a benzene solution of vinyl acetate with a catalyst into a
jacketed vessel. The mixture boils at 72°C, and the vapours are returned to the kettle. After about
five hours at a gentle boil, the reaction mixture is run to a still and the solvent and unchanged vinyl
acetate are removed by steam distillation. The molten resin is run into drums, where it solidifies, or
is extruded into rods and sliced into flakes.22 It is usually supplied to the joint compound
manufacturers in the form of a 55 to 60% solids emulsion.
The precursor of polyvinyl acetate, vinyl acetate is manufactured by reacting ethylene, derived
usually from natural gas, with acetic acid in the vapour phase over a palladium catalyst. The
reaction takes place in a fixed-bed tubular reactor and is highly exothermic. When the reaction is
conducted under the correct conditions, the only significant by-product is CO2. Enough heat is
recovered as steam to perform the recovery distillation. The reaction occurs at 175 to 200°C under
pressure of 475 to 1,000 kPa. 22
Ready mix joint compound manufacturing process

Limestone, and sometimes the other larger volume components, are stored in bulk facilities.
Limestone is weighed as are the other dry raw materials, and often pre-mixed in a dry blender. Dry
premix is fed via weigh hopper and screw conveyor into wet blenders, either a paddle- or a
continuous-ribbon-type. Liquid ingredients (water, PVA emulsion) are distributed through a piping
system. Following the blending operation, finished ready mix compound is transferred into
holding tanks, either by gravity or using Moyno pumps, usually de-aerated under vacuum, and
packaged either in pails or in lined boxes.
2.5.2 Dry (Setting) Joint Compound

Gypsum stucco accounts for about 70 to 75% of the total formulation in setting compounds.
Calcium carbonate and mica are other major ingredients, while clays, starches, gels, hydrated lime,
accelerators and retarders are typical additives used in smaller quantities. Perlite can be used in
lightweight formulas, as well. The main formulation components, gypsum stucco, calcium
carbonate and mica are extracted, prepared, and in the case of gypsum, calcined to stucco, as
described in detail in previous sections. All the ingredients are weighed and mixed in dry paddle or
V-shell blenders. Dry setting compounds are shipped in bags, and they are offered in a range of
different set times, 45-minute and 90-minute ones being the most popular. Recently some
lightweight setting compounds have become available as well.
2.5.3 Products Statistics

Canadian production volumes for joint filler compounds in 1994 are shown in Table. 2.4.4
TABLE 2.4: PRODUCTION OF JOINT FILLER COMPOUNDS, 1994
SCG Code 1994 Production

[tonnes]
Ready mix 2520.20.90 131,844

Dry powder 2520.10.13 11,877
2.5.4 Joint Paper Tape

Most joint tape is manufactured from paper similar to the “ivory” bleached paper used as facing of
the board. Papermaking raw materials and production were discussed in Section 2.2.3 under
“paper” for gypsum board. Paper is cut into proper widths (typically 2 1/16"), sanded and buffed,
and perforated. All paper joint tape is creased in the middle to accommodate taping of inside
corners. Joint tape is sold in rolls, either boxed in bulk, unpackaged, or wrapped in plastic.
Use of paper joint tape is the most widespread, although a small quantity of glass mesh tape
pioneered by a Canadian company, Bayex Division of Bay Mills Ltd., is used mainly by the DIY
market. Statistics Canada does not provide their relative market share, but it is apparently growing.
2.6 GYPSUM INDUSTRY, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT

Like any industry, gypsum board manufacturing uses energy resources and emits some pollutants
to the atmosphere. It also generates some liquid effluents and solid wastes. At the same time,
gypsum board is perhaps one of the more environmentally friendly building products because of:
• the long established use of recycled newsprint and cardboard in the production of
its paper facings,
• essentially 100% recycling of in-plant and increased volume of construction waste
gypsum board back into production, and
• the recent development of synthetic (by-product) gypsum replacing some of the

natural gypsum.
2.6.1 Energy Use and Efficiency

Energy used for drying/grinding of gypsum raw materials (~6% of total energy), gypsum
calcination (~27%) and gypsum board drying (~67%) constitutes a major cost in gypsum board
production (around 18% of the total direct manufacturing costs).13 As a result, the industry made
major, conscientious strides to reduce their energy consumption, especially following the oil cost
increases during the 1970’s. A shift from batch kettle calcination to continuous kettle calcination,
and optimization of the firing process significantly improved efficiencies and energy consumption.
Modern well-designed continuous kettles such as are used in most of the North American facilities
require approximately 1 GJ/tonne of hemihydrate.15 Recent development of improved calcination
methods, such as kettles with submerged combustion and conical kettles offer further improvements
in energy efficiencies. Energy input of 0.65 GJ/tonne was measured for 72% purity gypsum
calcined in a conical kettle.23-25 (Table 2.5)
TABLE 2.5 TYPICAL EFFICIENCIES AND ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF

DIFFERENT CALCINATION KETTLES
Type of Kettle Energy Efficiency Energy Consumption [GJ/tonne]
@ 72% purity @ 90% purity
Batch 55 0.98 1.21

Continuous 65 0.82 1.02
Continuous with submerged
75 0.71 0.88
combustion
Conical 90 0.65 0.70 @ 81.5%
Source: adapted from Refs. (23-25)
Judicious selection of fuels as well as insulation, a sophisticated temperature control regime and
heat recirculation/recovery on the gypsum board drying kilns implemented following the energy
crisis also resulted in energy efficiency improvements.
Industry data indicate an average expenditure of 36.3 GJ/tonne of paper produced.28 This can vary
from about 28.2 GJ/tonne if the paper is produced in an integrated mill, to 39.0 GJ/tonne if it is
produced in a pulp mill followed by a paper finishing mill. However, the gypsum industry has been
using paper made from recycled newspaper and cardboard since the 1950’s; a long time before it
became environmentally “popular”. It is estimated that paper products manufactured from
recycled material require approximately 27 to 44% less energy than from virgin wood, depending
largely upon whether the paper is bleached or unbleached.28 It is assumed that for the gypsum
board industry, which uses bleached kraft paper, the energy savings is probably in the 30% range16,
bringing the energy content from 36.3 GJ/tonne down to about 25.4 GJ/tonne. As about 100 lb of
paper is used per MSF of board (0.5 kg/m2), a contribution of about 12.45 MJ/m2 of gypsum
board can be attributed to the paper.
2.6.2 Atmospheric Emissions

Mining of gypsum, as well as its crushing, grinding, and handling in the plant, including the
calcination step of the process, result in particulate emissions. Similarly extraction and processing
of other industrial minerals, such as calcium carbonate, talc, mica and clay, used in the joint
compound manufacturing, will cause some particulate emissions.
Energy consumed in the extraction process, in the raw materials transportation, as well as gypsum
board manufacturing and subsequent shipping to the markets, will result in emissions of CO2, CO,
SO2, NOx, CH4 and VOCs, as in any process where energy is used. However, gypsum calcination
produces less NOx than production of such materials like cement or lime where high temperatures
result in significant thermal NOx. In contrast, gypsum calcination requires relatively low
dehydration temperatures, in the 120° to 140°C range. Below 1000°C no significant thermal NOx
is generated.26 As far as CO2 is concerned, during the gypsum calcination there is only fuel CO2
generated. In gypsum processing, there is no dissociation of the calcium sulfate molecule as is the
case in the calcium carbonate calcination in the cement and lime manufacturing, and therefore no
chemical (calcination) release of CO2.
The handling and blending of dry raw materials for gypsum board in plant operations, as well as the
cutting of the finished board result in some particulate release. Bag houses and other emission
controls are employed to minimize particulate release.
In the production of a moisture (water) resistant gypsum board, asphalt or wax emulsions are
usually used to treat the board (albeit in very small quantities). Their precursors are petroleum
products and a variety of pollutants, including VOCs and hydrocarbons are released during the
drilling, extraction, and cracking of petroleum. However, the amount of such releases that would be
attributable to gypsum board are negligible. Regular or type X gypsum board itself does not
contain any VOCs, however, there is some indication in the literature that gypsum board can absorb
VOCs released from other building materials used during construction, and then release them at a
slower rate back into the indoor air.16 There appears to be a lot of confusion on this subject, with
no definitive conclusion at this time.
Like gypsum board manufacturing, joint compounds production contributes to the particulate
emissions, as it uses mainly dry powder ingredients. Particulates are released in the extraction and
processing of the raw materials (calcium carbonate, gypsum, talc, mica, clays, perlite), and in their
handling and blending in the manufacturing stage. Ethylene, the precursor of PVA used as a binder
in the ready mix joint compounds, will contribute to emissions of VOCs and benzene, a highly
regulated, known carcinogen. But again, only a very small amount of such releases would be
ultimately attributable to joint compounds on a per unit basis. The uncontrolled emission factor for
VOCs is 8.35 kg/tonne of ethylene, and the uncontrolled emission factor for benzene is 1.11
kg/tonne of ethylene. The controlled emission factor for benzene is 0.0845 kg/tonne of ethylene.16
2.6.3 Liquid Effluent

In comparison with most of the paper manufacturing, gypsum paper production using recycled
paper stock substantially reduces water usage and associated effluent discharges, which could
otherwise result in increased turbidity from suspended solids, increased alkalinity, reduced BOD,
and increased deoxygenation. Most of the paper used in the production of gypsum board is
postindustrial newsprint. When such paper is deinked, residues end up in leftover sludge. About
one-fifth of the wastepaper material is drawn off as sludge, which contains not only ink residues,
but also fillers, clay, fiber fragments, and other materials. The inks on the newsprint, however, are
typically non-toxic, and the sludge from many deinking mills is being used by farmers as clay-
heavy soil conditioner.28
While there are closed water-loop process technologies available, and many end-of-pipe control
improvements were implemented over the last few decades with respect to effluent releases from the
paper mills, some problems still remain. Nevertheless, the paper industry record in general is
improving. Canadian paper mills (all combined) reduced their total suspended solids (TSS)
discharges from 2,106 tonnes/day in 1978 to 816 tonnes/day in 1985. Discharges of BOD fell
from 3,337 to 1,961 tonnes/day during the same period of time, while production increased from
about 51,000 tonnes/day to 74,000 tonnes/day.29
In the gypsum board manufacturing process, apart from quarry water and stormwater generated in
the extraction of gypsum rock, there is very little liquid effluent. (If by-product gypsum is used,
such material may have to be washed by its producer to reduce the soluble salts [Na+, Mg++, Cl-]
content for gypsum to be acceptable by the gypsum board plant.).
The paper manufacturing process, including that of gypsum facing paper, is a large generator of
liquid effluent containing suspended solids and organic pollutants. (On average, in the production
of pulp and paper, each tonne of paper requires about 100 m3 of process water, although the actual
amount consumed depends on the production process.29
Ready mix joint compounds manufacturing operates in a closed loop system; consequently no
liquid effluent is generated with the exception of a very low, non-measured effluent from the
occasional washing of the production equipment and area.
2.6.4 Solid Waste

Extraction of gypsum rock, in contrast to many other quarrying and mining operations, generates
very little waste, as gypsum rock is usually used in its entirety in the manufacturing process, without
any separation of the impurities, refining or smelting of the desired materials from the rock. In the
few operations where some beneficiation of the rock is required, the main contaminant is usually
limestone, which is resold as aggregate for road building or similar applications.
A small amount, typically 5% to 10%, of waste gypsum board is generated in its production during
the start-ups, due to the production of off-specs board, and due to the cutting and trimming of the
board. As already noted, all the in-plant generated solid waste is recycled back into production.
Some of the off-specs board is cut and used for sleutters to support pallets of the finished board,
thus eliminating the need to use 4" x 4" wood supports.
In joint compound production no other solid waste is generated than the raw materials packaging.
Most often, however, the packaging paper bags are shipped back for recycling.
2.6.5 Recycling
The use of industrial by-products (FGD or TiO2 gypsum) and post-industrial waste (waste paper,
gypsum board construction waste) as raw materials in the production of gypsum board was already
mentioned. In our calculations, energy associated with transport of gypsum board construction
waste back to the production facility is accounted for. This recycling and reuse of by-products and
wastes is one of the major strengths of the gypsum industry. As noted in Section 2.1.1, in 1995
Westroc’s Mississauga plant became the first Canadian gypsum board plant operating entirely on
FGD by-product/waste gypsum, with a number of other operations supplementing their gypsum
rock supply with by-product gypsum, or construction waste gypsum.
In at least two Canadian metropolitan areas, Vancouver and Toronto, construction gypsum board
waste is banned from landfill sites. It is being collected by recyclers, and supplied back to the
gypsum board manufacturing plants. An alternate use for construction waste, according to the
Gypsum Association, includes agricultural applications and animal bedding material.16 Beneficial
re-use of either by-product or waste construction gypsum reduces pressure on scarce landfill sites.
The availability of free, or very inexpensive by-product gypsum, is changing the gypsum industry.
In years to come, it is expected that more and more FGD gypsum will be used where it makes
economic and geographic sense.3 In 1992 in the U.S.A. over 25.5 GWe of coal-fired power
generating plants were already operating, under construction, or planned to be equipped with wet
lime/limestone scrubbers generating FGD gypsum. It is expected that by the end of the decade
some 7.3-million tonnes of FGD gypsum could be available.31,32 To put that number in
perspective, it represents about one-third of the total U.S. annual consumption and almost one-half
of its gypsum mining output. Other sources forecast an eventual U.S. production of synthetic
gypsum as high as 32-million tonnes annually.33
In Canada 1.5 GWe power generating capacity already is or soon will be similarly equipped.30
Canadian FGD gypsum production capability, estimated on the basis of Canadian vs. U.S. wet
lime/limestone scrubbing capacity, appears to be in the 500,000 tonnes/year area. This figure seems
to correspond well with the FGD gypsum generating forecasts expected from the Ontario Hydro’s
Lambton and New Brunswick’s Belledune power stations.
REFERENCES
1. O. Vagt, “Gypsum and Anhydrite”, Canadian Minerals Yearbook, 1994, Natural Resources
Canada, Ottawa, 1995.
2. “Gypsum”, Annual Review 1994, Mineral Industry Surveys, U.S. Department of Interior -
Bureau of Mines, Washington, DC 20241, August 1995.
3. G.J. Venta, R.T. Hemmings, “FGD Gypsum Utilization: A Strategic Approach to Reuse”,
Proceedings , Paper 95-WA80.03, Air & Waste Management Association 88th Annual
Meeting & Exhibition, San Antonio, TX, June 18-23, 1995.
4. “Gypsum Products”, December 1994, Statistics Canada Catalogue 44-003/ISSN 0380-7223,
Vol. 45, No.12
5. G.J. Venta, R.T. Hemmings, E.E. Berry, “A North American Perspective on Recycling and
Reuse of Waste and Industrial By-Products in Building Materials”, Proceedings of ReC’93
International Recycling Congress, Geneva, Switzerland, January 1993.
6. Toronto Star, November 10, 1995.
7. “Gypsum / Magic Mineral”, CGC Inc.
8. “The Story of Gypsum / How Gyproc is made”, Domtar Gypsum.
9. “How Gypsum is made”, Construction Dimensions, February 1991, pp.34-37.
10. “The Gypsum Industry and Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) Gypsum Utilization: A Utility
Guide”, EPRI Report TR-103652, prepared by NYSEG and ORTECH, February 1994.
11. “Board Machinery”, The COE Manufacturing Company, Bulletin 7000.
12. “Board Production - Plant Design, Operational Layout, Manufacturing”, Combustion
Engineering, Inc. Bulletin No. 123.
13. L.M. Luckevich, “Microwave Drying of Gypsum Board”, paper presented at the 81st Annual
Meeting and Convention of the Canadian Ceramic Society, Montreal, PQ, February 1983.
14. F. Wirsching, “Calcium Sulfate”, Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 5th
edition, 1985, Vol. A4, pp. 555-584.
15. R.J. Wenk, P.L. Henkels, “Calcium Compounds (Calcium Sulfate)”, Kirk Othmer Scientific
Encyclopedia, 1978 edition, Volume 4, pp.437-448.
16. “Gypsum Board Systems: Technical Report”, Topic I-9250, AIA Environmental Resource
Guide, July 1993.
17. G.J. Venta, “Gypsum Fiberboard: A High Performance Specialty Board”, Proceedings of the
3rd International Conference on Inorganic-Bonded Wood and Fiber Composite Materials,
Spokane, WA, September 28-30, 1992, pp.66-77.
18. G. Natus, “Gypsum Fiberboard Production in Nova Scotia”, Proceedings of the 2nd
International Conference on Inorganic-Bonded Wood and Fiber Composite Materials,
Moscow, ID, October 15-17, 1990, pp.85-87.
19. “FiberBond® Fiber-Reinforced Gypsum Panels”, Louisiana-Pacific, October 1993.
20. “Gypsum Construction Handbook”, 3rd edition, USG, 1987, p. 61.
21. “Building Materials in the Context of Sustainable Development - Raw Material Balances,
Energy Profiles and Environmental Unit Factor Estimates for Cement and Structural Concrete
Products”, Report prepared by CANMET and Radian Canada Inc. for Forintek Canada Corp.,
October 1993.
Guide, July 1993, p.24, adapted from G.T. Austin, “Shreve’s Chemical Process Industries”,
5th edition, 1984.
23. A.G.T. Ward, “Methods of Reducing Energy Requirements in Kettle Calcination”, Ciments,
Betons, Platres, Chaux, No.728 - 1/81, pp. 51-56.
24. R. Lewis, “Improved Methods of Calcination”, Ciments, Betons, Platres, Chaux, No.753 -
2/85, pp. 99-105.
25. R. Lewis, “Improved Calcining Process for Gypsum”, Zement-Kalk-Gips, 38, No 5/1985, pp.
250-255.
26. J. Zelkowski, “Kohleverbrennung”, VGB Technische Vereinigung der
Grosskraftwerksbetreiber e.V., Band 8 der Fachbuchreihe “Kraftwerkstechnik”, VGB-B008
1986.
27. American Gas Association, “Industrial Sector Energy Analysis: The Paper Industry”,
February 1988.
28. “The Tellus Institute Packaging Study Project: Summary”, Tellus Institute, November 1991.
29. ‘The State of Canada’s Environment”, Chapter 14 - Industries, Pulp and Paper Production,
Government of Canada, Ottawa, 1991, pp. 14-18/19.
30. H.N. Soud, M. Takeshita, “FGD Handbook”, Chapter 4 - FGD Installations on Coal-Fired
Plants, IEACR/65 Report, IEA Coal Research, London, January 1994.
31. G.J. Venta, R.T. Hemmings, “FGD Gypsum Utilization: Bridging the “Two Solitudes”,
Proceedings of 11th International Symposium on Use and Management of Coal Combustion
By-Products (CCBs), American Coal Ash Association, Orlando, FL, January 15-19, 1995.
32. W. Ellison, R.A. Kuntze, “Expanding of Markets for Gypsum Byproducts”, Proceedings of
Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, Inc., 1993 Annual Meeting, Reno, NE.
33. J.A. Walker, “Gypsum - The Miracle Mineral: Brief History and Prospects”, Proceedings of
the 4th International Conference on Inorganic-Bonded Wood and Fiber Composite Materials,
34. “Schenck Gypsum Fiberboard Plant – Future-Oriented Technologies for Innovative Panels”,
Carl Schenck AG bulletin V 0224.
3.0 RAW MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS AND TRANSPORTATION

This section provides a brief overview of raw material requirements for gypsum board and
associated products production in Canada on a regional basis. The section also provides an
overview of transportation distances and typical modes used to move raw materials to the gypsum
plants, again on a regional basis. Transportation data underlying the overview was used to develop
corresponding energy estimates presented in Section 4.0.
Data on actual raw material requirements, transportation distances and modes was provided to
VG&A by the three major gypsum board producers for all their plants listed in Table 2.1
(preceding section). However, we are treating the individual plant data as confidential and all data
presented in this report is therefore shown as averages, typically weighted averages on a regional
basis. The weights used to develop these and other estimates presented in later sections are the
actual utilized capacities for 1995 as provided directly by the producers.
For the Newfoundland plant which did not provide detailed raw material and transportation data, we
estimated transportation distances and modes based on the industry and market general
information. For the one GFB plant in Nova Scotia that did not provide this data directly, we made
assumptions based on their published information18.
3.1 RAW MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS - GYPSUM BOARD

Gypsum board formulations are essentially identical from one region of the country to another, and
from one part of the North American continent to another. The differences between raw materials
from one producer to another are also rather insignificant. Generally, board formulations consist of
48% to 55% gypsum stucco, around 2% to 5% paper, and 42% to 46% water, on a mass basis.
As discussed in Section 2, gypsum stucco, the primary raw material in the board production, is
produced through calcination of gypsum. One tonne of gypsum rock (or by-product) yields about
830 kg of stucco. In other words, 1.2048 tonnes of gypsum is needed for 1 tonne of stucco. Paper
used as facings of gypsum board is made from recycled waste paper; it is assumed that
1.1 tonnes of raw materials (waste paper) is needed to produce 1 tonne of gypsum paper. These
factors are included in relevant calculations and estimates.
While a number of admixtures and additives, such as accelerators, retarders, plasticizers, glass
fibers, potash, dextrose, starch, emulsions, paper pulp, clay and perlite are used, depending on the
type of gypsum board produced (standard, fire resistant (type X), or moisture resistant), their
aggregate amount is only between 0.9% and 2.5%. None of the individual additives reach the 2%
limit recommended as a cut-off level in the ATHENATM project Research Guidelines, and therefore
their specific energy and emissions estimates were not developed.
In contrast to conventional gypsum board, gypsum fiberboard, due to the nature of its process
(semi-dry technology), uses substantially less water. To lower the GFB product weight and to
approach that of gypsum board, expanded perlite is used in the core layer of the board.
Typical gypsum board formulations for ten (10) different gypsum board products are shown in
Table 3.1 in kg of raw materials per m2 of finished board. Table 3.2 provides the same breakdown
in percentages. These breakdowns by type of product and board thickness are used throughout the
development of the unit factor estimates in all subsequent sections.
TABLE 3.1 GYPSUM BOARD GENERIC FORMULATIONS / AVERAGE RAW

MATERIALS USE (KG/M 2 OF FINISHED BOARD)
1/2" regular 5/8" regular 1/2" type X 5/8" type X 1/2" MR
Stucco 6.3610 8.3057 6.3329 8.4239 6.9755

Paper 0.4715 0.4773 0.4507 0.4649 0.4847
Water 5.4273 6.8308 5.3773 6.8967 6.6290
Other 0.1108 0.1493 0.2761 0.1523 0.3674
Perlite 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
TOTAL (wet weight) 12.3706 15.7632 12.4370 15.9378 14.4566
(dry weight) 8.0632 10.2867 8.1854 10.5066 9.0406
5/8" MR 5/16" mobile 1" shaftliner 1/2" GFB 5/8" GFB

home
Stucco 8.9438 4.4665 15.6671 6.8432 8.4911

Paper 0.5070 0.4887 0.4887 1.5207 1.8869
Water 8.4140 4.2246 11.9824 1.4147 1.7554
Other 0.4712 0.1050 0.2118 0.2766 0.3432
Perlite 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 1.3306 1.6510
TOTAL (wet weight) 18.3360 9.2848 28.3500 11.3859 14.1276
(dry weight) 11.4840 5.8642 19.0585 11.1908 13.9762

TABLE 3.2 GYPSUM BOARD GENERIC FORMULATIONS / AVERAGE RAW

MATERIALS USE (% BREAKDOWN)
1/2" regular 5/8" regular 1/2" type X 5/8" type X 1/2" MR
Stucco 51.42 52.69 50.92 52.85 48.25

Paper 3.81 3.03 3.62 2.92 3.35
Water 43.87 43.33 43.24 43.27 45.85
Other 0.90 0.95 2.22 0.96 2.54
Perlite 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
TOTAL (wet weight) 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00
5/8" MR 5/16" mobile 1" shaftliner 1/2" GFB 5/8" GFB

home
Stucco 48.78 48.11 55.26 60.10 60.10

Paper 2.77 5.26 1.72 13.36 13.36
Water 45.89 45.50 42.27 12.43 12.43
Other 2.57 1.13 0.75 2.43 2.43
Perlite 0.00 0.00 0.00 11.69 11.69
TOTAL (wet weight) 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00
3.2 RAW MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION - GYPSUM BOARD

Gypsum
There are major differences in transportation distances between the sources of gypsum and the
gypsum board plants for different gypsum operations. Some of the plants, such as the large CGC
operations in Hagersville, ON, and Domtar’s plants in Caledonia, ON, are built on sites adjoining
their sources of gypsum. All other plants receive gypsum from quarries, mines or sources of by-
product gypsum from some distance. Some operations use a combination of different sources of
gypsum, most often supplementing natural rock gypsum with synthetic gypsum. Table 3.3
provides weighted average distribution of the sources of gypsum for the three geographical regions
as of 1995. As can be seen, natural gypsum is still the dominant source of raw material, with some
synthetic being used both in the Central and East regions. In 1996, further expansion of FGD
gypsum utilization is expected in the East region. The contribution of the recycled waste board,
both of the internally generated waste and construction waste collected in major metropolitan areas
and trucked to the plants, is also indicated. Legislative actions preventing landfilling of gypsum
board construction waste in the Vancouver and Toronto metropolitan areas are the main reason for
the higher “external” recycled content in the West and Central regions.
In the manufacturing process, recycled gypsum board is commingled with other sources of gypsum
and handled in the same manner. This source of gypsum does not have to be “extracted”,
however, its contribution to the unit factor estimates at all process stages, i.e. to raw materials
transportation and manufacturing, is included.
TABLE 3.3 DISTRIBUTION OF GYPSUM SOURCES BY GEOGRAPHICAL REGION (%)
Natural Synthetic Recycled / Recycled /

Gypsum Gypsum external internal
West Avg. 86 0 8 6
Central Avg. 85 7 4 4
East Avg. 81 10 2 7
CANADA 85 6 4 5
There is a wide variability in transportation distances, which in some cases also determine the mode
of transportation. In the West region, while most of the natural gypsum is moved by truck, one
west coast operation using gypsum from Baja California moves it by ship. Current cost structure
does not favour rail transport; there is only one plant in this region (and in Canada) transporting
gypsum from the quarry to the plant by rail at this time. In the Central region, all the plants are
either adjoining their sources of natural gypsum, in which case they use either electric conveyors or
trucks, or are within economic trucking distance of the quarries. In the East region of the country,
where most of the natural gypsum comes from the Atlantic provinces, the distance and actual board
plant location determines the choice of either truck or marine (or marine/truck combination) of
gypsum transportation. All the synthetic and recycled gypsum from external sources is transported,
at this point, by truck. Table 3.4 shows weighted average distances by mode of transport for the
three sources of gypsum for the three geographical regions. The favourable location of the Central
region plants relative to gypsum supplies makes this the most efficient region in terms of raw
material transportation energy use, as will be shown in the next section.
TABLE 3.4 WEIGHTED AVERAGE TRANSPORTATION DISTANCES FOR GYPSUM

(KM) BY MODE OF TRANSPORT
Natural Gypsum Synthetic Recycled

Gypsum Gypsum /
external
ship rail road total road road
West Avg. 1436 184 274 1894 0 46

Central Avg. - - 44 44 34 15
East Avg. 656 6 231 893 3 9
CANADA 507 47 144 698 18 21
Paper
In estimates of distances and modes of transport of gypsum board paper, two items have to be
considered:
• transportation of waste paper to the paper mill for recycling, and

• transportation of finished paper from the mill to the board producer.
Based on information from one of the two Canadian suppliers, and known locations of other paper
mills, we assume that an average shipping distance for waste paper to paper mill is 150 km, and that
all shipping is exclusively by truck.
Weighted average shipping distances for the finished gypsum paper are shown in Table 3.5. In
some cases ivory and gray paper are coming from different paper mills, explaining the differences
between the two sets of numbers. All gypsum paper is shipped by road transport, with distances
ranging from 50 to 2,500 km.
TABLE 3.5 AVERAGE TRANSPORTATION DISTANCES FOR PAPER (KM)
ivory paper gray paper
West Avg. 654 843

Central Avg. 457 351
East Avg. 835 497
CANADA 594 506
Gypsum Fiberboard Raw Materials

Waste paper fibers for reinforcement of GFB are barged along the eastern seaboard from an
average distance of 1,100 km. Perlite rock is shipped from Greece from an average distance of
9,500 km.
Backhaul
Based on our discussions with the producers, we made the following assumption regarding the
backhaul associated with transportation of raw materials:
• gypsum: no backhaul,
• waste paper to paper mill: no backhaul,
• finished paper (truck): 75% backhaul
• waste paper to GFB plant (ship): 75% backhaul,
• perlite (ship): 75% backhaul
Appropriate multiples of the transportation distances were used in estimates of the energy and
atmospheric emissions unit factors.
3.3 RAW MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS - FINISHING PRODUCTS

Joint compound formulations are similar from one manufacturer to another, from one region of the
country to another. As indicated in Section 2.5.1, the two main constituents of the ready mix
compounds are finely ground limestone and water, with smaller amounts of talc, mica, specialty
clays and resin binders. The differences between various proprietary formulas are related to minute
additions of various admixtures and additives, and the details of the formulations are closely
guarded secrets. Nevertheless, the basic formulations are available from raw materials suppliers,
companies such as Dow Chemicals, Nacan Products, Reichhold Chemicals, Lorama Chemicals, and
others, and as such are readily available and well known. Typical ready mix joint formulation,
based on information from various raw materials suppliers, is shown in Table 3.6, expressed both in
per cent (by weight) and in kg per m2 of gypsum board, taking into account standard usage of
0.674 kg of compound per 1 m2 of board.
TABLE 3.6 READY MIX JOINT COMPOUNDS GENERIC FORMULATION / AVERAGE

RAW MATERIALS USE
Raw Material [%] [kg/m 2 of gypsum board]
Water 34.6 0.23320

Clay 1.7 0.01146
Talc 3.8 0.02561
Mica 3.5 0.02359
Calcium carbonate 52.3 0.35250
PVA resin 4.0 0.02696
Other 0.1 0.00068
Total 100.0 0.67400
Setting joint compounds, as discussed in Section 2.5.2, are comprised primarily of calcium sulfate
hemihydrate (plaster), calcium carbonate (limestone) and mica, with small additions of clays, starch,
gels, lime and other chemicals. The type of plaster used for production of setting compounds is
often calcined under different conditions than the stucco for gypsum board production. This so-
called “β plaster” is available only from a few calcination plants across North America, and often it
is shipped to the joint compound production facilities over some distance. Typical formulation for
the setting joint compound, considering its approximate usage of 0.352 kg/m2 of board, is shown in
Table 3.7.
Joint paper tape (see Section 2.5.4) is produced from recycled paper (newspaper, magazines and
cardboard) stock, being essentially the same material as the “ivory” bleached paper used for facing
of gypsum board. In estimating relevant unit factors, we will therefore use the same assumptions
and numbers as for the “ivory” gypsum paper. As already indicated in Section 2.5, approximate
usage of paper tape is about 0.98 m/m2 of gypsum board.
TABLE 3.7 SETTING JOINT COMPOUNDS GENERIC FORMULATION / AVERAGE

RAW MATERIALS USE
Raw Material [%] [kg/m 2 of gypsum board]
Gypsum plaster 48.5 0.17072

Calcium carbonate 36.5 0.12848
Mica 7.2 0.02534
Clay 5.0 0.01760
Other 2.8 0.00986
Total 100.0 0.35200
3.4 RAW MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION - JOINT FINISHING

PRODUCTS
Joint compound manufacturing plants are located in all three geographical regions of the country.
The raw materials, with the exception of plaster, resin binder and chemical additives, are usually
sourced from the local distributors of industrial minerals. However, the particular grades of raw
materials are often shipped to the local distributor from some distance. Detailed information
regarding the transportation distances are not available. On the basis of rather limited information,
we will assume following distances:
TABLE 3.8 ESTIMATED TRANSPORTATION DISTANCES FOR JOINT COMPOUNDS

RAW MATERIALS (KM)
West Central East
Water - - -
Clay 1200 2000 2000
Talc 3500 800 300
Mica 2000 2000 2000
Calcium carbonate 500 500 100
PVA resin 100 100 100
Gypsum plaster 1800 2000 2000
Calcium carbonate, plaster and resin binder are usually shipped in bulk, and we will assume no
backhaul, other materials are shipped in bags, and we will assume 100% backhaul. All transport is
by truck, with the exception of plaster, 50% of which is shipped by rail in the Central and East
regions.
For the joint tape raw materials (waste paper) transport, we assume the same average shipping
distance of 150 km by truck as for the gypsum paper for board facings discussed in Section 3.2.
Further we assume that finished “ivory” paper is shipped to the joint tape producer for its
conversion the same average distance as the regular “ivory” paper is shipped to the gypsum board
producers (Table 3.5), with a 75% backhaul.
4.0 ENERGY USE - GYPSUM BOARD

In this section, we explain and present the estimates of energy use developed for all manufacturing
stages of the gypsum board production from the raw materials extraction and transportation to the
gypsum board processing. For completion, the estimates of energy associated with finished board
transportation are also shown, although these are fully handled by ATHENATM. All of the results are
presented and discussed in terms of weighted regional averages using the 1995 actual gypsum
board production levels as weights. Various tables show total energy use by region and process
stage and we also show the breakdown by energy type because that information is directly relevant
to the estimation of atmospheric emissions in a subsequent section of the report.
4.1 RAW MATERIAL EXTRACTION AND TRANSPORTATION

In estimates of energy consumption associated with extraction of gypsum, we had to take a number
of factors into consideration:
• relative distribution of natural, synthetic and recycled gypsum in the three regions,
• use of 1.2048 tonnes of gypsum rock (or by-product) for 1 tonne of stucco,
• the fact that some primary processing (primary crushing, drying) usually takes
place at the quarry site,
• in production of commercial grade synthetic gypsum, the use of steam in the
dewatering system, and the need for some additional power (e.g. for effluent
treatment) that would not have to be used if by-product gypsum were landfilled.1
The differences between the “extraction” energy of natural and synthetic gypsum, as well as the
source of energy in the quarries and mines (diesel fuel (road) vs. electricity), greatly affect the
regional weighted averages. We did not receive detailed information from all the quarrying
operations; for the missing quarries we assumed that it takes 0.027 GJ to extract one tonne of
gypsum.2 (Or, multiplying by the factor 1.2048: it takes 0.0325 GJ to extract a sufficient amount
of gypsum to produce 1 tonne of stucco.)
Table 4.1 shows weighted average energy consumption for gypsum extraction and primary
processing (crushing, drying) at the source site, expressed in GJ per tonne of stucco.
TABLE 4.1 WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE FOR GYPSUM EXTRACTION

(GJ/TONNE OF STUCCO)
diesel - road coal oil electric total
West Avg. 0.0293 0.0000 0.0000 0.0118 0.0411

Central Avg. 0.0051 0.0043 0.0000 0.0547 0.0641
East Avg. 0.0293 0.0000 0.0057 0.0145 0.0495
CANADA 0.0177 0.0021 0.0018 0.0332 0.0548
The use of diesel-road fuel and a portion of the electric power is directly associated with the actual
extraction. Coal, oil, and a portion of electric power usage is due to the primary processing. Most
of the mines/quarries process gypsum rock on site prior to its transport to the board manufacturing
plants; only few operations ship it “as is” to the plants, where it is crushed. In the absence of
detailed information, we will assume that all the primary processing is conducted at the extraction
site. In this approach, we will not understate the total energy usage at the gypsum source site,
although it will create some distortion in terms of atmospheric emission estimates associated with
electricity use, primarily in the East region. The estimates of electricity use developed in this report
will be translated in the Sustainable Materials Project calculation model into the mixture of primary
energy forms used to generate the electricity at the relevant generating facilities and emission factors
will be calculated on that basis. To make this adjustment, the model assumes electricity comes from
the relevant regional electrical grid. Therefore, when we assume gypsum from Nova Scotia is used
in Quebec, the model will assign those electricity estimates to the Quebec grid and will estimate
emissions accordingly. The estimates will likely be different from those that would be made
assuming use of electricity from the Nova Scotia grid. Again, the lack of data precludes our doing
anything to avoid this problem and we believe it will in any case be relatively minor in terms of the
overall atmospheric emission estimates for gypsum production.
As an example, the estimates of gypsum extraction energy use, expressed in MJ per square meter of
finished 1/2” regular gypsum board on a weighted average basis by region and for Canada as a
whole, are shown in Table 4.2. A complete set of tables for all types of gypsum boards is shown in
the summary at the end of this section.
TABLE 4.2 WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE FOR GYPSUM EXTRACTION

(MJ/M 2 OF 1/2" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD)
diesel - road coal oil electric total
West Avg. 0.1898 0.0000 0.0000 0.0765 0.2662

Central Avg. 0.0331 0.0279 0.0000 0.3538 0.4147
East Avg. 0.1895 0.0000 0.0368 0.0940 0.3203
CANADA 0.1145 0.0134 0.0117 0.2152 0.3546
Transportation - Gypsum
The transportation energy use estimates were made by applying the following combustion energy
factors from the Research Guidelines:
Energy Consumed
Mode Fuel (MJ/tonne-kilometre)
Truck Diesel - Road 1.18
Rail Diesel - Rail 0.49
Ship HFO - Marine 0.12
The above factors were applied to the individual raw material tonnages required per tonne of stucco
on a plant-by-plant basis using haul distance estimates provided by the companies, and those
numbers were later converted to per square meter of finished board, using the formulations as
shown in Table 3.1. The distances were adjusted for all modes except conveyors (electricity) to
account for empty or partial backhauls in accordance with the research guidelines. The weighted
regional averages shown in the tables below were then calculated from the individual plant
estimates.
TABLE 4.3 WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE FOR GYPSUM TRANSPORTATION

(GJ/TONNE OF STUCCO)
diesel-road diesel-rail HFO-marine electricity total
West Avg. 0.8851 0.2175 0.4152 0.0000 1.5179

Central Avg. 0.2646 0.0000 0.0000 0.0005 0.2651
East Avg. 0.7088 0.0000 0.1897 0.0000 0.8985
CANADA 0.5212 0.0534 0.1465 0.0002 0.7214
TABLE 4.4 WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE FOR GYPSUM TRANSPORTATION

diesel-road diesel-rail HFO-marine electricity total
West Avg. 5.7281 1.4079 2.6873 0.0000 9.8233

Central Avg. 1.7124 0.0000 0.0000 0.0030 1.7154
East Avg. 4.5872 0.0000 1.2275 0.0000 5.8148
CANADA 3.3733 0.3458 0.9480 0.0015 4.6686
Transportation - Paper
Weighted regional averages for energy consumption associated with transportation of both the
waste paper as raw material for the paper mill, and of the finished gypsum paper from the paper mill
to the gypsum board plant, are shown in Tables 4.5 and 4.6.
TABLE 4.5 WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE FOR PAPER TRANSPORTATION

(GJ/TONNE)
Waste Paper Finished Paper

diesel-road diesel-road HFO-marine total finished
paper
West Avg. 0.3894 1.1040 0.0000 1.1040

Central Avg. 0.3894 0.5959 0.0000 0.5959
East Avg. 0.3894 0.7486 0.0088 0.7574
CANADA 0.3894 0.7565 0.0021 0.7586
TABLE 4.6 WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE FOR PAPER TRANSPORTATION

Waste Paper Finished Paper

paper
West Avg. 0.1836 0.5206 0.0000 0.5206

Central Avg. 0.1836 0.2810 0.0000 0.2810
East Avg. 0.1836 0.3530 0.0041 0.3571
CANADA 0.1836 0.3567 0.0010 0.3577
4.2 GYPSUM BOARD MANUFACTURING

As noted in Section 2 during the discussion of the gypsum board production process, board
manufacturing consists of three separate processes:
• calcination of gypsum to stucco,

• gypsum paper manufacturing, and
• gypsum board production.
In the development of the energy estimates related to gypsum board manufacturing, we considered
all these three production steps separately, before eventually combining them into the total
manufacturing energy factors.
Fairly detailed information regarding use of energy in the calcination of gypsum to stucco as well
as for the manufacturing of gypsum board was made available from the three major Canadian
producers for all their plants. Energy consumption estimates were developed and tabulated by both
the processing step and by the type of energy used. Calcination energy consumption data are
shown in Tables 4.6 – 4.9.
TABLE 4.6 WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE IN STUCCO PREPARATION BY

PROCESS STEP (GJ/TONNE OF STUCCO)
secondary drying grinding calcination stucco stucco total

crushing grinding transport stucco
preparation
West Avg. 0.0510 0.6377 0.0250 1.1631 0.0125 0.0476 1.9369

Central Avg. 0.0401 0.2893 0.0253 0.9145 0.0030 0.0688 1.3412
East Avg. 0.0277 0.5030 0.0201 1.2102 0.0062 0.0464 1.8137
CANADA 0.0399 0.4250 0.0240 1.0449 0.0061 0.0584 1.5984

PROCESS STEP (MJ/M 2 OF 1/2" REGULAR BOARD)
secondary drying grinding calcination stucco stucco total

crushing grinding transport stucco
preparation
West Avg. 0.3304 4.1267 0.1618 7.5272 0.0810 0.3081 12.5352

Central Avg. 0.2597 1.8722 0.1640 5.9185 0.0197 0.4455 8.6797
East Avg. 0.1793 3.2553 0.1302 7.8319 0.0404 0.3005 11.7375
CANADA 0.2582 2.7505 0.1555 6.7626 0.0396 0.3778 10.3442

ENERGY FORM (GJ/TONNE OF STUCCO)
natural gas oil diesel electricity total stucco

preparation
West Avg. 1.3135 0.4591 0.0000 0.1643 1.9369

Central Avg. 0.8198 0.1981 0.1692 0.1540 1.3412
East Avg. 0.7690 0.5191 0.3775 0.1481 1.8137
CANADA 0.9291 0.3375 0.1765 0.1552 1.5984

ENERGY FORM (MJ/M 2 OF 1/2" REGULAR BOARD)
natural gas oil diesel electricity total stucco

preparation
West Avg. 8.5007 2.9714 0.0000 1.0630 12.5352

Central Avg. 5.3055 1.2821 1.0951 0.9970 8.6797
East Avg. 4.9770 3.3592 2.4428 0.9586 11.7375
CANADA 6.0131 2.1844 1.1424 1.0042 10.3442
Some data were also obtained from one of the Canadian producers of gypsum paper, which was
supplemented with some additional information.3 Nevertheless, there is not sufficient information
available to develop regional weighted averages for the gypsum paper production. Therefore we
have assumed that the energy use associated with the paper manufacturing is the same in all three
regions. (Table 4.10) This brings some error into our estimates, however considering that similar
processes and the same energy sources are used by all gypsum paper producers, this distortion will
be minimal.
TABLE 4.11 WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE IN PAPER PRODUCTION BY

ENERGY FORM (GJ/TONNE OF PAPER)
natural gas oil electric total paper
CANADA 11.6047 0.6108 2.9148 15.1302
TABLE 4.11 WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE IN PAPER PRODUCTION BY

CANADA 5.4720 0.2880 1.3744 7.1344
Energy associated with the production of gypsum board itself, as per information provided by
Canadian gypsum board producers, is shown, as an example, for 1/2" regular gypsum board, in
Table 4.12.
TABLE 4.12 WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE IN BOARD MANUFACTURING BY

total board
natural gas oil electric manufacturing
energy
West Avg. 14.6351 3.8536 0.4096 18.8984

Central Avg. 14.4121 2.5886 0.3562 17.3569
East Avg. 10.7640 7.5119 0.4645 18.7404
CANADA 13.6108 4.0546 0.3947 18.0601
Total energy use associated with the three process steps of 1/2" thick regular gypsum board
manufacturing is summarized in Tables 4.13 and 4.14.
TABLE 4.13 TOTAL WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE ASSOCIATED WITH

PRODUCTION OF GYPSUM BOARD BY PROCESS STEP
(MJ/M 2 OF 1/2" REGULAR BOARD)
paper stucco board total energy

production production production
West Avg. 7.1344 12.5352 18.8984 38.5680

Central Avg. 7.1344 8.6797 17.3569 33.1710
East Avg. 7.1344 11.7375 18.7404 37.6124
CANADA 7.1344 10.3442 18.0601 35.5387
TABLE 4.14 TOTAL WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE ASSOCIATED WITH

PRODUCTION OF GYPSUM BOARD BY ENERGY FORM
(MJ/M 2 OF 1/2" REGULAR BOARD)
diesel - road natural gas oil electric total energy
West Avg. 0.0000 28.6079 7.1131 2.8471 38.5680

Central Avg. 1.0951 25.1897 4.1587 2.7276 33.1710
East Avg. 2.4428 21.2130 11.1590 2.7975 37.6124
CANADA 1.1424 25.0959 6.5271 2.7733 35.5387
Detailed tables summarizing energy usage for ten types of gypsum boards under consideration, by
process stage and region as well as by energy form and region, are shown at the end of this section,
in Tables 4.25 to 4-44.
4.3 FINISHED GYPSUM BOARD TRANSPORTATION

The last energy use category covers the transportation of finished gypsum board products from
gypsum board plants to Canadian market distribution centres.
As in the case of raw material transportation, information about transportation distances, modes and
geographical market distribution was provided by the three major gypsum board producers for all
their plants. Based on our knowledge of the Canadian gypsum board markets, some assumptions
had to be made regarding the relative share of the market between the various producers, as well as
to include the remaining minor regional or specialty manufacturers. The Research Guidelines state
that finished product transportation data should be provided in kilometres by mode of transport for
average haul distances to Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver from the
relevant production points. The Guidelines further noted that “relevant production points” would
be the facilities typically serving each of the cities.
Based on the information received from the gypsum board manufacturers, we concluded:
• Vancouver is served by local plants by truck,

• Calgary is served 90% by the plants located in Alberta by truck, with 10% of the
board shipped by rail from the Central region,
• Winnipeg is similarly served by local plants (85%), and 15% by rail from the
Central region,
• Toronto is supplied exclusively by truck from local operations,
• Montreal is served mainly (80%) by truck from local plants, with the remaining
20% shipped also by truck from the Central region, and
• Halifax is supplied by plants located in Atlantic provinces (40%), either by truck
or by ship, as well as by rail from either the Central region or the Quebec part of
to East region.
The weighted average transportation distances by mode shown in Table 4.15 were then developed
using the distances of each plant from the designated cities. Following discussions with the board
producers, we assumed that only 20% backhaul is involved in truck transportation, whereas 100%
backhaul is the rule for both the rail and the marine transportation of the finished board. These
backhaul assumptions are already reflected in the distance numbers in the Table 4.15.
TABLE 4.15 WEIGHTED AVERAGE TRANSPORTATION DISTANCES BY MODE FOR

FINISHED GYPSUM BOARD (KM)
Average Distances & Transport Mode

Truck Rail Ship
Vancouver 90 0 0
Calgary 225 300 0
Winnipeg 90 400 0
Toronto 153 0 0
Montreal 288 0 0
Halifax 279 847.5 110
Transport factors [MJ/tonne-km] 1.18 0.49 0.12
note: appropriate backhaul factors included in the distances
The ATHENATM computer model calculates the energy consumption associated with the finished
products transportation from the plant gate to the market, taking into consideration distances and
transport mode. Here, just for illustration, we show the energy estimates (Tables 4.16 and 4.17 for
1/2" regular board). The distances by mode, as per Table 4-15, were multiplied by the relevant
tonne-kilometre energy consumption figures.
We should emphasize that the averages in Tables 4.15, 4.16 and 4.17 only reflect where gypsum
board is produced and how it is moved. They do not reflect gypsum board consumption levels in
any of the cities. Both tables can be interpreted by thinking in terms of the embodied final
transportation mileage and energy in a representative or average tonne of board (or square meter of
board) landed in any one of the six cities.
TABLE 4.16 WEIGHTED AVERAGE TRANSPORTATION ENERGY FOR FINISHED

GYPSUM BOARD (GJ/ TONNE)
Truck Rail Ship Total

diesel-road diesel-rail HFO-marine
Vancouver 0.1062 0.0000 0.0000 0.1062

Calgary 0.2655 0.1470 0.0000 0.4125
Winnipeg 0.1062 0.1960 0.0000 0.3022
Toronto 0.1805 0.0000 0.0000 0.1805
Montreal 0.3398 0.0000 0.0000 0.3398
Halifax 0.3292 0.4153 0.0132 0.7577

GYPSUM BOARD (MJ/ M 2 OF 1/2" REGULAR BOARD)
Truck Rail Ship Total

diesel-road diesel-rail HFO-marine
Vancouver 0.8563 0.0000 0.0000 0.8563

Calgary 2.1408 1.1853 0.0000 3.3261
Winnipeg 0.8563 1.5804 0.0000 2.4367
Toronto 1.4557 0.0000 0.0000 1.4557
Montreal 2.7402 0.0000 0.0000 2.7402
Halifax 2.6546 3.3485 0.1064 6.1095
We have omitted national averages from Tables 4.15 to 4.17 because national averages would be
unduly distorted by the absence of any weights to take into account relative consumption levels in
different cities and regions. If consumption is not taken into account, the high transportation
energy associated with moving gypsum board to cities like Halifax or Calgary would be given too
much implicit weight when calculating national averages. In contrast, the earlier sub-sections deal
strictly with aspects of production, and actual production capacities provide an adequate weighting
mechanism even at the national level. The omission of national averages at this stage, and
subsequently, has no bearing in terms of our ultimate focus which is on unit factors for gypsum
board delivered to the individual cities.
4.4 GYPSUM BOARD - ENERGY SUMMARY

This section summarizes all the preceding energy estimates associated with the production of
gypsum board by processing stage and by energy form in MJ/m2 of board. The summaries are
presented for a “cradle to gate” LCA used by the ATHENATM model, as well as, for illustration, for
a “cradle to market” LCA. Tables 4.25 and 4.26 cover 1/2" regular gypsum board discussed in
detail above. The following tables (4.27 to 4.40) provide the same summary information for other
common types and thicknesses of gypsum board, as selected and discussed in Section 2.
The relative distribution of the energy used in production of gypsum board by the process step is
shown as a percentage of the total energy use for the six cities under consideration in Table 4.18
and graphically in Fig. 4.1 for 1/2" regular board as an example. For other types of board, relative
energy distribution would be similar. The total manufacturing stage (consisting of the paper
production, gypsum calcination and board production itself) is obviously the most significant as far
energy consumption is concerned, varying between different areas in the 73% to 89% range. This
is followed by the raw materials transportation, showing a rather wide range from about 6% to 21%.
This wide range is the result of some plants producing board right at the gypsum source site,
whereas other board operations have to ship gypsum from thousands of kilometres away. Gypsum
extraction and the initial on-site processing represents the lowest energy expense of the four
processing stages.
Of the three manufacturing steps, the gypsum board manufacturing constitutes the highest share of
the total manufacturing energy use at around 50%, followed by gypsum calcination (around 30%)
and paper production (approximately 20%). This relative distribution of the manufacturing energy
use is shown for 1/2" regular gypsum board in Table 4.19 and graphically illustrated in Fig. 4.2.
TABLE 4.18 PER CENT OF ENERGY USE IN GYPSUM BOARD PRODUCTION

[1/2" BOARD] BY PROCESS STAGE (%)
Gypsum Total RM Total Board TOTAL

Extraction Transportation Manufacturing Transportation
Vancouver 0.53 20.96 76.80 1.71 100.00

Calgary 0.51 19.98 73.20 6.31 100.00
Winnipeg 1.09 5.71 86.83 6.38 100.00
Toronto 1.11 5.86 89.12 3.91 100.00
Montreal 0.68 13.51 79.98 5.83 100.00
Halifax 0.64 12.61 74.63 12.12 100.00
TABLE 4.19 PER CENT OF ENERGY USE IN MANUFACTURING STAGES OF GYPSUM

BOARD PRODUCTION [1/2" BOARD] BY PROCESS STAGE (%)
Paper Stucco Board Total

Manufacturing Manufacturing Manufacturing Manufacturing
West Region 18.50 32.50 49.00 100.00

Central Region 21.51 26.17 52.33 100.00
East Region 18.97 31.21 49.83 100.00
Extraction
RM Transport
Manufacturing
100
Board Transport
% of total energy use
80
60
40
20
0
Vancouver Calgary Winnipeg Toronto Montreal Halifax
City
Fig. 4.1: Breakdown of Energy Use in Gypsum Board Production [1/2" Board]
by Process Stage (%)
60
% of total manufacturing energy
West
50
Central
East
40
30
20
10
0
Paper Stucco Board
Manufacturing of
Fig 4.2Breakdown of Energy Use in Manufacturing Stages of Gypsum Board Production

[1/2" Board] by Process Stage (%)
4.5 ENERGY USE IN GYPSUM FIBERBOARD (GFB) PRODUCTION

All of the previous parts of this section discussed primarily conventional, paper faced gypsum
boards. Most of what was said is also valid for paperless gypsum fiberboard (GFB), although
there are some substantial differences in the formulations and in the raw materials used, as well as
in the manufacturing process itself. GFB is manufactured only in one location in all of North
America at this time, in Louisiana-Pacific’s plant in Nova Scotia, and this was taken into
consideration for both the raw materials and the finished product transportation. As the
manufacturer decided not to provide any information for this study, some additional assumptions
had to be made based on our knowledge of the process and the published information.
Raw Materials Extraction

In GFB production only locally available natural gypsum is used (together with 10% internal waste
recycling). Gypsum extraction energy for the Eastern region, expressed per tonne of stucco, was
adjusted accordingly. For perlite, the other industrial mineral used, we assumed extraction energy
of 0.027 GJ/tonne of rock, in the form of diesel-road fuel, and the electrical energy input based on
the gypsum rock extraction.
TABLE 4.20 WEIGHTED AVERAGE EXTRACTION ENERGY FOR GYPSUM AND

PERLITE USED IN 1/2" GFB PRODUCTION
Gypsum extraction Perlite extraction Total extraction
diesel electric total diesel electric total diesel electric TOTAL

gypsum perlite RMs
[GJ/tonne of stucco] [GJ/tonne of perlite]
0.0305 0.0117 0.0423 0.0270 0.0108 0.0378
[MJ/m2 of board] [MJ/m2 of board] [MJ/m2 of board]
0.2175 0.0834 0.3008 0.0359 0.0144 0.0503 0.2534 0.0977 0.3511
Raw Materials Transportation

Specific conditions related to the GFB operation were considered. These include rail transportation
of the locally quarried gypsum, marine transportation of the perlite rock from overseas, and both the
local transportation by truck of the collected waste paper and its shipping by barge from these
collection points along the Eastern seaboard.4 It was assumed that other raw materials are locally
available in Nova Scotia, and supplied by truck. Appropriate backhaul assumptions were made as
well. The resulting energy estimates for 1/2" GFB are shown in Table 4.21.
TABLE 4.21 WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE FOR 1/2" GFB RAW MATERIALS
TRANSPORTATION
Gypsum Waste Paper Perlite Other RMs Transport

RMs
diesel- diesel- HFO- waste HFO- diesel diesel diesel- HFO- TOTAL
rail road marine paper marine road road rail marine
total
[GJ/tonne [GJ/tonne]
of stucco]
0.0413 0.3894 0.1650 0.5544 1.4250 0.4720
[MJ/m2 of board]
0.2828 0.5922 0.2509 0.8431 1.8961 0.1306 0.7227 0.2828 2.1471 3.1526
GFB Manufacturing
In GFB production four separate manufacturing steps have to be considered:
• gypsum calcination,
• perlite expansion,
• paper defiberization, and
• board production.
For gypsum calcination we used the weighted average energy estimate [GJ/tonne of stucco]
developed for the East region in Table 4.6. For the rather energy-intensive perlite expansion, W.R.
Grace provided an average estimate of 3500 BTU/lb (= 8.1337 GJ/tonne).5 As far as the paper
defiberization is concerned, we assumed that this is covered by the electrical energy input into the
paper production from Table 4.11. Finally, for the board manufacturing itself, we used factors
(developed in a client confidential GFB technical study) of 0.9555 for fuel use and 3.15 for power
consumption for production of GFB vs. conventional gypsum board of the same thickness.6 The
resulting energy estimates for manufacturing of 1/2" GFB are presented in Tables 4.22 and 4.23.
TABLE 4.22 AVERAGE ENERGY USE IN MANUFACTURING OF 1/2" GFB BY

ENERGY FORM
Energy natural gas oil diesel-road electricity TOTAL
[MJ/m2 of board] 33.7609 3.6956 2.6875 6.9504 47.0943

TABLE 4.23 AVERAGE ENERGY USE IN MANUFACTURING OF 1/2" GFB BY

PROCESS STEP
Gypsum Paper Perlite Board TOTAL

calcination defiberization expansion manufacturing manufacturing
[GJ/tonne of [GJ/tonne of paper] [GJ/tonne of perlite]

stucco]
1.8137 2.9148 8.1337
[MJ/m2 of board]
12.9129 4.4325 10.8229 18.9259 47.0943
Finished GFB Transportation

GFB board produced in L-P’s Nova Scotia plant is intended mainly for the markets along the
Eastern seaboard of the U.S.A. Nevertheless, it is also available through local distributors across
Canada. In estimating energy embodied in finished GFB transportation, we assumed that to
Halifax it is shipped by truck (20% backhaul) and to the rest of the country by rail (100%
backhaul). Using the appropriate distances between Port Hawkesbury and the six regional cities
under consideration
[km] [mode]
Vancouver 5840 rail
Calgary 4878 rail
Winnipeg 3538 rail
Toronto 1816 rail
Montreal 1276 rail
Halifax 360 road
The ATHENATM model calculates the energy factors associated with the GFB point of manufacture
to the market. In the study, we provided the finished product transport energy estimates, based on
the above distances and transport modes combined with the relevant transport factors from Table
4.15, just for illustration:
TABLE 4.24 ENERGY EMBODIED IN TRANSPORTATION OF FINISHED 1/2" GFB
diesel-road diesel-rail
[GJ/tonne]
Vancouver - 2.8616
Calgary - 2.3902
Winnipeg - 1.7336
Toronto - 0.8898
Montreal - 0.6252
Halifax 0.4248 -
[GJ/m2 of board]
Vancouver - 32.0235
Calgary - 26.7484
Winnipeg - 19.4005
Toronto - 9.9580
Montreal - 6.9969
Halifax 4.7538 -
GFB Energy Summary

Total energy estimates associated with the production of 1/2" and 5/8" thick gypsum fiberboard by
processing stage and by energy form in MJ/m2 of board are summarized in Tables 4.41 to 4.44.
REFERENCES
1. Communication from R.S. Daly, Ontario Hydro, dated February 27, 1996.
2. Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation (CIPEC), Ministry of Energy, Mines and
Resources Canada, 1989.
Guide, July 1993.
4. G. Natus, “Gypsum Fiberboard Production in Nova Scotia”, Proceedings of the 2nd
International Conference on Inorganic-Bonded Wood and Fiber Composite Materials,
Moscow, ID, October 15-17, 1990, pp.85-87.
5. Oral communication from B. Colbert, W.R. Grace Construction Products Division, August 9,
1996
6. “Gypsum Fiberboard (GFB): Technical Assessment Report”, Venta, Glaser & Associates,
confidential client report, October 1991/July 1994.
Gypsum Board and Associated Finishing Products 4- 16
TABLE 4.25 ENERGY USE IN 1/2" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]
Gypsum RMs Manufacturing Total Board Total

Extract. Transport Paper Stucco Board Total to Gate Transport to Market
Manufact.
West Vancouver 0.2662 10.5276 7.1344 12.5352 18.8984 38.5680 49.3618 0.8563 50.2181
Calgary 3.3261 52.6878
Central Winnipeg 0.4147 2.1800 7.1344 8.6797 17.3569 33.1710 35.7657 2.4367 38.2024
Toronto 1.4557 37.2214
East Montreal 0.3203 6.3555 7.1344 11.7375 18.7404 37.6124 44.2882 2.7402 47.0284
Halifax 6.1095 50.3977
TABLE 4.26A CRADLE TO GATE ENERGY USE IN 1/2" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]
Diesel-road Diesel-rail HFO- Natural gas Coal Oil Electricity Total

marine To Gate
West 6.6221 1.4079 2.6873 28.6079 0.0000 7.1131 2.9235 49.3618

Central 3.3051 0.0000 0.0000 25.1897 0.0279 4.1587 3.0843 35.7657
East 7.7562 0.0000 1.2317 21.2130 0.0000 11.1958 2.8916 44.2882
TABLE 4.26B CRADLE TO MARKET ENERGY USE IN 1/2" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]

marine To Market
West Vancouver 7.4784 1.4079 2.6873 28.6079 0.0000 7.1131 2.9235 50.2181
Calgary 8.7629 2.5932 2.6873 28.6079 0.0000 7.1131 2.9235 52.6878
Central Winnipeg 4.1615 1.5804 0.0000 25.1897 0.0279 4.1587 3.0843 38.2024
Toronto 4.7609 0.0000 0.0000 25.1897 0.0279 4.1587 3.0843 37.2214
East Montreal 10.4964 0.0000 1.2317 21.2130 0.0000 11.1958 2.8916 47.0284
Halifax 10.4107 3.3485 1.3381 21.2130 0.0000 11.1958 2.8916 50.3977
TABLE 4.27 ENERGY USE IN 1/2" TYPE X GYPSUM BOARD BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]

Manufact.
West Vancouver 0.2719 10.7048 6.8197 12.8010 18.8984 38.5191 49.4958 0.8693 50.3651
Calgary 3.3765 52.8723
Toronto 1.4778 37.1375
East Montreal 0.3271 6.4550 6.8197 11.9864 18.7404 37.5466 44.3287 2.7817 47.1104
Halifax 6.2020 50.5308
TABLE 4.28A CRADLE TO GATE ENERGY USE IN 1/2" TYPE X GYPSUM BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]

marine to Gate
West 6.7165 1.4378 2.7443 28.5468 0.0000 7.1634 2.8871 49.4958

Central 3.3449 0.0000 0.0000 25.0608 0.0284 4.1732 3.0524 35.6597
East 7.8856 0.0000 1.2575 21.0772 0.0000 11.2551 2.8533 44.3287
TABLE 4.28B CRADLE TO MARKET ENERGY USE IN 1/2" TYPE X GYPSUM BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]

marine to Market
West Vancouver 7.5858 1.4378 2.7443 28.5468 0.0000 7.1634 2.8871 50.3651
Calgary 8.8897 2.6410 2.7443 28.5468 0.0000 7.1634 2.8871 52.8723
Toronto 4.8227 0.0000 0.0000 25.0608 0.0284 4.1732 3.0524 37.1375
East Montreal 10.6673 0.0000 1.2575 21.0772 0.0000 11.2551 2.8533 47.1104
Halifax 10.5804 3.3992 1.3656 21.0772 0.0000 11.2551 2.8533 50.5308
TABLE 4.29 ENERGY USE IN 1/2" MR GYPSUM BOARD BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]

Manufact.
West Vancouver 0.3021 11.8696 7.3344 14.2226 18.8984 40.4553 52.6270 0.9601 53.5871
Calgary 3.7292 56.3563
Toronto 1.6322 39.0660
East Montreal 0.3635 7.1534 7.3344 13.3175 18.7404 39.3923 46.9092 3.0724 49.9816
Halifax 6.8500 53.7592
TABLE 4.30A CRADLE TO GATE ENERGY USE IN 1/2" MR GYPSUM BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]

marine to Gate
West 7.4384 1.5974 3.0491 29.9055 0.0000 7.5211 3.1155 52.6270

Central 3.7005 0.0000 0.0000 26.0572 0.0316 4.3393 3.3051 37.4338
East 8.7430 0.0000 1.3970 22.0363 0.0000 11.6610 3.0718 46.9092
TABLE 4.30B CRADLE TO MARKET ENERGY USE IN 1/2" MR GYPSUM BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]

marine to Market
West Vancouver 8.3985 1.5974 3.0491 29.9055 0.0000 7.5211 3.1155 53.5871
Calgary 9.8387 2.9264 3.0491 29.9055 0.0000 7.5211 3.1155 56.3563
Toronto 5.3327 0.0000 0.0000 26.0572 0.0316 4.3393 3.3051 39.0660
East Montreal 11.8154 0.0000 1.3970 22.0363 0.0000 11.6610 3.0718 49.9816
Halifax 11.7194 3.7543 1.5164 22.0363 0.0000 11.6610 3.0718 53.7592
TABLE 4.31 ENERGY USE IN 5/8" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]

Extract. Transport Paper Stucco Board Total to to Gate Transport to Market
Manufact.
West Vancouver 0.3478 13.5467 7.2223 16.3767 23.6229 47.2220 61.1164 1.0924 62.2089
Calgary 4.2433 65.3597
Toronto 1.8572 45.3684
East Montreal 0.4185 8.1442 7.2223 15.3346 23.4256 45.9824 54.5451 3.4958 58.0409
Halifax 7.7942 62.3393
TABLE 4.32A CRADLE TO GATE ENERGY USE IN 5/8" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]

marine to Gate
West Vancouver 8.4443 1.8394 3.5109 34.9391 0.0000 8.9906 3.3921 61.1164
East Halifax 9.9753 0.0000 1.6079 25.4966 0.0000 14.1181 3.3472 54.5451
TABLE 4.32B CRADLE TO MARKET ENERGY USE IN 5/8" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]

marine to Market
West Vancouver 9.5368 1.8394 3.5109 34.9391 0.0000 8.9906 3.3921 62.2089
Calgary 11.1754 3.3515 3.5109 34.9391 0.0000 8.9906 3.3921 65.3597
Toronto 6.0385 0.0000 0.0000 30.4860 0.0364 5.2023 3.6051 45.3684
East Montreal 13.4711 0.0000 1.6079 25.4966 0.0000 14.1181 3.3472 58.0409
Halifax 13.3619 4.2718 1.7437 25.4966 0.0000 14.1181 3.3472 62.3393
TABLE 4.33 ENERGY USE IN 5/8" TYPE X GYPSUM BOARD BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]

manufact.
West Vancouver 0.3528 13.7119 7.0339 16.6113 23.6229 47.2682 61.3329 1.1158 62.4487
Calgary 4.3340 65.6669
Toronto 1.8969 45.4098
East Montreal 0.4245 8.2387 7.0339 15.5542 23.4256 46.0137 54.6769 3.5706 58.2475
Halifax 7.9608 62.6377
TABLE 4.34A CRADLE TO GATE ENERGY USE IN 5/8" TYPE X GYPSUM BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]

marine to Gate
West 8.5365 1.8657 3.5611 34.9538 0.0000 9.0386 3.3771 61.3329

Central 4.2223 0.0000 0.0000 30.4409 0.0369 5.2187 3.5942 43.5129
East 10.0962 0.0000 1.6308 25.4453 0.0000 14.1740 3.3306 54.6769
TABLE 4.34B CRADLE TO MARKET ENERGY USE IN 5/8" TYPE X GYPSUM BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]

marine to Market
West Vancouver 9.6523 1.8657 3.5611 34.9538 0.0000 9.0386 3.3771 62.4487
Calgary 11.3260 3.4102 3.5611 34.9538 0.0000 9.0386 3.3771 65.6669
Toronto 6.1191 0.0000 0.0000 30.4409 0.0369 5.2187 3.5942 45.4098
East Montreal 13.6668 0.0000 1.6308 25.4453 0.0000 14.1740 3.3306 58.2475
Halifax 13.5552 4.3631 1.7695 25.4453 0.0000 14.1740 3.3306 62.6377
TABLE 4.35 ENERGY USE IN 5/8" MR GYPSUM BOARD BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]

Extrac. Transport Paper Stucco Board Total to Gate Transport to Market
Manufact.
West Vancouver 0.3873 15.0480 7.6713 18.2360 23.6229 49.5303 64.9656 1.2196 66.1852
Calgary 4.7371 69.7027
Toronto 2.0733 47.6662
East Montreal 0.4660 9.0407 7.6713 17.0756 23.4256 48.1724 57.6791 3.9027 61.5818
Halifax 8.7014 66.3804
TABLE 4.36A CRADLE TO GATE ENERGY USE IN 5/8" MR GYPSUM BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]

marine to Gate
West 9.3664 2.0482 3.9095 36.5444 0.0000 9.4495 3.6476 64.9656

Central 4.6319 0.0000 0.0000 31.6174 0.0405 5.4106 3.8924 45.5928
East 11.0799 0.0000 1.7902 26.5792 0.0000 14.6399 3.5898 57.6791
TABLE 4.36B CRADLE TO MARKET ENERGY USE IN 5/8" MR GYPSUM BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]

marine to Market
West Vancouver 10.5860 2.0482 3.9095 36.5444 0.0000 9.4495 3.6476 66.1852
Calgary 12.4154 3.7364 3.9095 36.5444 0.0000 9.4495 3.6476 69.7027
Toronto 6.7052 0.0000 0.0000 31.6174 0.0405 5.4106 3.8924 47.6662
East Montreal 14.9826 0.0000 1.7902 26.5792 0.0000 14.6399 3.5898 61.5818
Halifax 14.8606 4.7690 1.9418 26.5792 0.0000 14.6399 3.5898 66.3804
TABLE 4.37 ENERGY USE IN 5/16" MOBILE HOME GYPSUM BOARD BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]

Manufact.
West Vancouver 0.1881 7.6688 7.3938 8.8546 11.8115 28.0599 35.9168 0.6228 36.5396
Calgary 2.4190 38.3358
Toronto 1.0587 27.4179
East Montreal 0.2263 4.6678 7.3938 8.2911 11.7128 27.3977 32.2919 1.9929 34.2847
Halifax 4.4432 36.7351
TABLE 4.38A CRADLE TO GATE ENERGY USE IN 5/16" MOBILE HOME GYPSUM BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]

marine to Gate
West Vancouver 4.9101 0.9945 1.8983 20.8227 0.0000 4.8059 2.4853 35.9168
East Halifax 5.6559 0.0000 0.8714 15.9141 0.0000 7.3922 2.4583 32.2919
TABLE 4.38B CRADLE TO MARKET ENERGY USE IN 5/16" MOBILE HOME BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]

marine to Market
West Vancouver 5.5328 0.9945 1.8983 20.8227 0.0000 4.8059 2.4853 36.5396
Calgary 6.4670 1.8566 1.8983 20.8227 0.0000 4.8059 2.4853 38.3358
Toronto 3.5467 0.0000 0.0000 18.4263 0.0197 2.8220 2.6032 27.4179
East Montreal 7.6487 0.0000 0.8714 15.9141 0.0000 7.3922 2.4583 34.2847
Halifax 7.5865 2.4352 0.9488 15.9141 0.0000 7.3922 2.4583 36.7351
TABLE 4.39 ENERGY USE IN 1" SHAFTLINER BOARD BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]

Manufact.
West Vancouver 0.6532 24.8321 7.3938 30.7560 37.7967 75.9466 101.4319 2.0240 103.4559
Calgary 7.8616 109.2935
Toronto 3.4408 72.5524
East Montreal 0.7860 14.8273 7.3938 28.7989 37.4809 73.6736 89.2869 6.4768 95.7637
Halifax 14.4405 103.7274
TABLE 4.40A CRADLE TO GATE ENERGY USE IN 1" SHAFTLINER BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]

marine to Gate
West 15.2497 3.4544 6.5935 55.7984 0.0000 15.2963 5.0395 101.4319

Central 7.4509 0.0000 0.0000 47.5128 0.0683 8.6214 5.4582 69.1116
East 18.2698 0.0000 3.0161 39.4103 0.0000 23.6545 4.9361 89.2869
TABLE 4.40B CRADLE TO MARKET ENERGY USE IN 1" SHAFTLINER BOARD BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M 2 ]

marine to Market
West Vancouver 17.2737 3.4544 6.5935 55.7984 0.0000 15.2963 5.0395 103.4559
Calgary 20.3098 6.2560 6.5935 55.7984 0.0000 15.2963 5.0395 109.2935
Toronto 10.8918 0.0000 0.0000 47.5128 0.0683 8.6214 5.4582 72.5524
East Montreal 24.7467 0.0000 3.0161 39.4103 0.0000 23.6545 4.9361 95.7637
Halifax 24.5443 7.9145 3.2677 39.4103 0.0000 23.6545 4.9361 103.7274
TABLE 4.41 ENERGY USE IN 1/2" GFB BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]
RMs RMs Manufacturing Total Board Total

Extract. Transport Paper Perlite Stucco Board Total to Gate Transport to
Manufact Market
West Vancouver 0.3511 3.1526 4.4325 10.8229 12.9129 18.9259 47.0943 50.5980 32.0235 82.6215
Calgary 0.3511 3.1526 4.4325 10.8229 12.9129 18.9259 47.0943 50.5980 26.7484 77.3464
Central Winnipeg 0.3511 3.1526 4.4325 10.8229 12.9129 18.9259 47.0943 50.5980 19.4005 69.9985
Toronto 0.3511 3.1526 4.4325 10.8229 12.9129 18.9259 47.0943 50.5980 9.9580 60.5560
East Montreal 0.3511 3.1526 4.4325 10.8229 12.9129 18.9259 47.0943 50.5980 6.9969 57.5949
Halifax 0.3511 3.1526 4.4325 10.8229 12.9129 18.9259 47.0943 50.5980 4.7538 55.3518
TABLE 4.42A CRADLE TO GATE ENERGY USE IN 1/2" GFB BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]
Diesel-road Diesel-rail HFO- Natural Oil Electricity Total

marine Gas to Gate
West 3.6636 0.2828 2.1471 33.7609 3.6956 7.0482 50.5980

Central 3.6636 0.2828 2.1471 33.7609 3.6956 7.0482 50.5980
East 3.6636 0.2828 2.1471 33.7609 3.6956 7.0482 50.5980
TABLE 4.42B CRADLE TO MARKET ENERGY USE IN 1/2" GFB BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]

marine Gas to Market
West Vancouver 3.6636 32.3063 2.1471 33.7609 3.6956 7.0482 82.6215

Calgary 3.6636 27.0312 2.1471 33.7609 3.6956 7.0482 77.3464
Central Winnipeg 3.6636 19.6833 2.1471 33.7609 3.6956 7.0482 69.9985
Toronto 3.6636 10.2408 2.1471 33.7609 3.6956 7.0482 60.5560
East Montreal 3.6636 7.2797 2.1471 33.7609 3.6956 7.0482 57.5949
Halifax 8.4174 0.2828 2.1471 33.7609 3.6956 7.0482 55.3518
TABLE 4.43 ENERGY USE IN 5/8" GFB BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]
RMs RMs Manufacturing Total Board Total

Extract. Transport Paper Perlite Stucco Board Total to Gate Transport to
Manufact Market
West Vancouver 0.4357 3.9117 5.4999 13.4291 16.0224 23.6574 58.6088 62.9562 39.9944 102.9506
Calgary 0.4357 3.9117 5.4999 13.4291 16.0224 23.6574 58.6088 62.9562 33.4063 96.3625
Central Winnipeg 0.4357 3.9117 5.4999 13.4291 16.0224 23.6574 58.6088 62.9562 24.2295 87.1857
Toronto 0.4357 3.9117 5.4999 13.4291 16.0224 23.6574 58.6088 62.9562 12.4366 75.3928
East Montreal 0.4357 3.9117 5.4999 13.4291 16.0224 23.6574 58.6088 62.9562 8.7385 71.6947
Halifax 0.4357 3.9117 5.4999 13.4291 16.0224 23.6574 58.6088 62.9562 5.9371 68.8933
TABLE 4.44A CRADLE TO GATE ENERGY USE IN 5/8" GFB BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]

marine Gas to Gate
West Vancouver 4.5458 0.3509 2.6641 42.0512 4.5854 8.7588 62.9562

East Halifax 4.5458 0.3509 2.6641 42.0512 4.5854 8.7588 62.9562
TABLE 4.44B CRADLE TO MARKET ENERGY USE IN 5/8" GFB BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION [MJ/M2 ]

marine Gas to Market
West Vancouver 4.5458 40.3453 2.6641 42.0512 4.5854 8.7588 102.9506

Calgary 4.5458 33.7572 2.6641 42.0512 4.5854 8.7588 96.3625
Toronto 4.5458 12.7875 2.6641 42.0512 4.5854 8.7588 75.3928
East Montreal 4.5458 9.0894 2.6641 42.0512 4.5854 8.7588 71.6947
Halifax 10.4829 0.3509 2.6641 42.0512 4.5854 8.7588 68.8933
5.0 ENERGY USE - FINISHING PRODUCTS

In this section, we provide the estimates of energy consumption for the raw materials extraction and
transportation, manufacturing and finished products transportation of the gypsum board joint
finishing compounds and joint paper tape. All of the estimates are developed essentially in the
same manner as the energy unit factors estimated in Section 4 for gypsum board.
5.1 JOINT FINISHING PRODUCTS RAW MATERIAL EXTRACTION

AND TRANSPORTATION
In Section 3.3 generic formulations for both ready mix drying and dry setting compounds were
given. While both types of joint compounds are comprised of a number of different raw materials,
most of these (limestone, mica, talc, gypsum and clays) are industrial minerals quarried in open pits.
We will therefore assume that it takes 0.027 GJ/tonne1 for extraction of these materials, and that all
this energy is in the form of diesel fuel (road), as specified in the Sustainable Materials Project
Research Guidelines. For gypsum, we take into account the fact that 1.2048 tonnes of gypsum are
needed to produce 1 tonne of calcined plaster. (For water and PVA resin we assume no embodied
extraction energy, whereas for “other” materials we assume the same energy loading as for the
other industrial minerals.) As no detailed regional data are available, we will assume that the same
amount of energy is required to extract the required quantities of raw materials all across Canada.
Table 5.1 shows average energy consumption for applicable industrial minerals and their primary
on site processing for both types of joint compounds, expressed in MJ/kg of compound as well as
in MJ/m2 of board (typical usage of joint compound per m2 of gypsum board was shown in
Section 2.5).
TABLE 5.1 AVERAGE ENERGY USE FOR JOINT COMPOUNDS RAW MATERIALS
EXTRACTION
Ready Mix Compound Setting (Dry) Compound
[MJ/kg of [MJ/m2 of board] [MJ/kg of [MJ/m2 of board]

compound] compound]
Water 0.00000 0.00000 - -

Calcium carbonate 0.01412 0.00952 0.00986 0.00347
Gypsum plaster - - 0.01578 0.00555
Mica 0.00095 0.00064 0.00194 0.00068
Talc 0.00103 0.00069 - -
Clay 0.00046 0.00031 0.00135 0.00048
PVA resin 0.00000 0.00000 - -
Other 0.00003 0.00002 0.00076 0.00027
Total 0.01658 0.01117 0.02968 0.01045
Joint Compounds Raw Materials Transportation

The transportation energy use estimates were made by applying the appropriate combustion energy
factors shown earlier (Section 4.1) to the formulations for both the ready mix and setting joint
compounds, as shown in Tables 3.6 and 3.7 respectively, taking into account the average raw
materials transportation distances, backhaul assumptions, and modes of transport (Table 3.8).
Resulting estimates of energy usage associated with the transportation of the ready mix joint
compounds raw materials are shown in Tables 5.2 and 5.3, and of the setting compounds in Tables
5.4 and 5.5.
TABLE 5.2 AVERAGE ENERGY USE FOR READY MIX JOINT COMPOUNDS RAW
MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION (MJ/KG OF COMPOUND)
West Region Central Region East Region
Water 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000

Clay 0.02285 0.03808 0.03808
Talc 0.14896 0.03405 0.01277
Mica 0.07840 0.07840 0.07840
Calcium carbonate 0.58576 0.58576 0.11715
PVA resin 0.00896 0.00896 0.00896
Other 0.00280 0.00280 0.00280
Total 0.84773 0.74805 0.25816
note: all energy in form of diesel (road)
TABLE 5.3 AVERAGE ENERGY USE FOR READY MIX JOINT COMPOUNDS RAW
MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION (MJ/M 2 OF BOARD)
Water 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000

Clay 0.01540 0.02567 0.02567
Talc 0.10040 0.02295 0.00861
Mica 0.05284 0.05284 0.05284
Calcium carbonate 0.39480 0.39480 0.07896
PVA resin 0.00604 0.00604 0.00604
Other 0.00189 0.00189 0.00189
Total 0.57137 0.50418 0.17400
note: all energy in form of diesel (road)
TABLE 5.4 AVERAGE ENERGY USE FOR SETTING JOINT COMPOUNDS RAW
MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION (MJ/KG OF COMPOUND)
West Central East
total total total

(diesel road) diesel road diesel rail diesel road diesel rail
Gypsum plaster 1.95552 1.56170 1.08640 0.47530 1.56170 1.08640 0.47530

Calcium carbonate 0.40880 0.40880 0.40880 0.00000 0.08176 0.08176 0.00000
Mica 0.16128 0.16128 0.16128 0.00000 0.16128 0.16128 0.00000
Clay 0.06720 0.11200 0.11200 0.00000 0.11200 0.11200 0.00000
Other 0.07840 0.07840 0.07840 0.00000 0.07840 0.07840 0.00000
Total 2.67120 2.32218 1.84688 0.47530 1.99514 1.51984 0.47530
TABLE 5.5 AVERAGE ENERGY USE FOR SETTING JOINT COMPOUNDS RAW
MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION (MJ/M 2 OF BOARD)
West Central East
total total total

(diesel road) diesel road diesel rail diesel road diesel rail
Gypsum plaster 0.68834 0.54972 0.38241 0.16731 0.54972 0.38241 0.16731

Calcium carbonate 0.14390 0.14390 0.14390 0.00000 0.02878 0.02878 0.00000
Mica 0.05677 0.05677 0.05677 0.00000 0.05677 0.05677 0.00000
Clay 0.02365 0.03942 0.03942 0.00000 0.03942 0.03942 0.00000
Other 0.02760 0.02760 0.02760 0.00000 0.02760 0.02760 0.00000
Total 0.94026 0.81741 0.65010 0.16731 0.70229 0.53498 0.16731
Joint Paper Tape Raw Materials Transportation

As already noted, joint paper tape is essentially the same product as “ivory” paper for gypsum
board facings. The average energy consumption associated with the transportation of waste paper
as raw material for the paper mill and of the paper stock from the paper mill to the producer to be
converted to the joint tape is therefore estimated in a similar manner as for the “ivory” paper for
the board production in Section 4.1. Table 5.6 provides resulting estimates in GJ per tonne of
paper.
TABLE 5.6 AVERAGE ENERGY USE FOR JOINT PAPER TAPE RAW MATERIALS
TRANSPORTATION (GJ/TONNE OF PAPER)
Waste Paper Finished Paper for Joint Tape

paper
West Avg. 0.3894 0.9652 0.0000 0.9652

Central Avg. 0.3894 0.6735 0.0000 0.6735
East Avg. 0.3894 0.8501 0.0087 0.8588
The above estimates are then converted to MJ/m of joint tape (52 mm wide) assuming paper weight
of 0.2358 kg/m2 (Table 5.7). [For example, for waste paper transportation: 0.3894 GJ/tonne
(=MJ/kg) x 0.2358 kg/m2 = 0.09182 MJ/m2 of paper stock for joint tape; m2 of such paper
provides 19.23 lineal meters of paper tape 52 mm wide; 0.09182 MJ/m2 / 19.23 m = 0.477 MJ/m
of tape.] Taking into consideration typical usage of 0.98 m of tape per m2 of gypsum board, unit
factors can be expressed also per m2 of the board (Table 5.8).
TRANSPORTATION (MJ/M OF JOINT TAPE)

paper
West Avg. 0.00477 0.01183 0.00000 0.01183

Central Avg. 0.00477 0.00826 0.00000 0.00826
East Avg. 0.00477 0.01042 0.00011 0.01053
TRANSPORTATION (MJ/M 2 OF BOARD)

paper
West Avg. 0.00468 0.01160 0.00000 0.01160

Central Avg. 0.00468 0.00809 0.00000 0.00809
East Avg. 0.00468 0.01022 0.00010 0.01032
5.2 JOINT FINISHING PRODUCTS MANUFACTURING

Joint compounds manufacturing consists of a number of separate steps, namely through:
• industrial minerals processing,

• resin binder production, and
• joint compound compounding (processing).
Limestone, talc, mica and clays are subjected to secondary crushing, drying and grinding. Gypsum
goes through the same processing, followed by calcination and stucco (plaster) grinding. While we
had detailed information regarding energy inputs associated with the production of gypsum / plaster
(Section 4.2, Table 4.6), similar detailed data for other industrial minerals used in joint compound
production is not readily available. We therefore assumed that energy embodied in secondary
crushing, drying and grinding of limestone, mica, talc and clays is the same as that of the weighted
Canadian average for gypsum. As all of these industrial minerals are indeed handled and processed
in a similar manner, we believe that any error introduced into our estimates by this assumption is
negligible.
One of the leading PVA resin suppliers to the ready mix joint compound producers provided the
total energy associated with the manufacturing of the binder as 200 BTU/lb (0.464 MJ/kg) of resin,
with a 20/80 split between electricity and natural gas use.2 Typical electrical power usage needed
for compounding / processing (mixing, pumping, resin heating) of the joint compounds was
provided by the Canadian producers. Total energy consumption estimates for manufacturing of
ready mix and setting (dry) joint compounds were developed and tabulated by both the processing
step and the type of energy used. For ease of use, these estimates are presented both in MJ per kg
of compound and MJ per m2 of gypsum board. Tables 5.9 to 5.12 show the unit factors for the
ready mix compounds, Tables 5.13 to 5.16 do the same for the setting compounds.
TABLE 5.9 WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE IN READY MIX JOINT COMPOUND
MANUFACTURING BY PROCESS STEP (MJ/KG OF COMPOUND)
secondary drying grinding total resin processing total

crushing minerals production
processing
Water - - - - - - -
Clay 0.00056 0.00600 0.00034 0.00690 - - 0.00690
Talc 0.00126 0.01340 0.00076 0.01542 - - 0.01542
Mica 0.00116 0.01235 0.00070 0.01420 - - 0.01420
Calcium carbonate 0.01732 0.18449 0.01043 0.21224 - - 0.21224
PVA resin - - - - 0.01855 - 0.01855
Other 0.00003 0.00035 0.00002 0.00041 - - 0.00041
Processing - - - - - 0.05400 0.05400
TOTAL 0.02033 0.21659 0.01225 0.24917 0.01855 0.05400 0.32172
MANUFACTURING BY PROCESS STEP (MJ/M 2 OF GYPSUM BOARD)
secondary drying grinding total resin processing total

crushing minerals production
processing
Water - - - - - - -
Clay 0.00038 0.00404 0.00023 0.00465 - - 0.00465
Talc 0.00085 0.00903 0.00051 0.01039 - - 0.01039
Mica 0.00078 0.00832 0.00047 0.00957 - - 0.00957
Calcium carbonate 0.01167 0.12435 0.00703 0.14305 - - 0.14305
PVA resin - - - - 0.01250 - 0.01250
Other 0.00002 0.00024 0.00001 0.00027 - - 0.00027
Processing - - - - - 0.03640 0.03640
TOTAL 0.01370 0.14598 0.00825 0.16794 0.01250 0.03640 0.21684
MANUFACTURING BY ENERGY FORM (MJ/KG OF COMPOUND)
natural gas oil diesel road electric total
Water - - - - -
Clay 0.00340 0.00004 0.00249 0.00097 0.00690
Talc 0.00760 0.00008 0.00557 0.00217 0.01542
Mica 0.00700 0.00007 0.00513 0.00200 0.01420
Calcium carbonate 0.10465 0.00108 0.07663 0.02988 0.21224
PVA resin 0.00371 - - 0.01484 0.01855
Other 0.00020 0.00000 0.00015 0.00006 0.00041
Total raw mat. 0.12657 0.00127 0.08996 0.04992 0.26772
Processing - - - 0.05400 0.05400
TOTAL 0.12657 0.00127 0.08996 0.10392 0.32172
MANUFACTURING BY ENERGY FORM (MJ/M 2 OF GYPSUM BOARD)
Water - - - - -
Clay 0.00229 0.00002 0.00168 0.00065 0.00465
Talc 0.00512 0.00005 0.00375 0.00146 0.01039
Mica 0.00472 0.00005 0.00346 0.00135 0.00957
PVA resin 0.00250 - - 0.01000 0.01250
Other 0.00013 0.00000 0.00010 0.00004 0.00027
Total raw mat. 0.08531 0.00086 0.06063 0.03364 0.18044
Processing - - - 0.03640 0.03640
TOTAL 0.08531 0.00086 0.06063 0.07004 0.21684
TABLE 5.13 WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE IN SETTING JOINT COMPOUND

MANUFACTURING BY PROCESS STEP (MJ/KG OF COMPOUND)
secondary drying grinding calcination stucco processing total

crushing grinding
Gypsum plaster 0.01935 0.20612 0.01166 0.50680 0.00297 - 0.74690

Calcium carbonate 0.01209 0.12876 0.00728 - - - 0.14812
Mica 0.00238 0.02540 0.00144 - - - 0.02922
Clay 0.00166 0.01764 0.00100 - - - 0.02029
Other 0.00093 0.00988 0.00056 - - - 0.01136
Compounding - - - - - 0.04320 0.04320
TOTAL 0.03640 0.38779 0.02193 0.50680 0.00297 0.04320 0.99909

MANUFACTURING BY PROCESS STEP (MJ/M 2 OF GYPSUM BOARD)
secondary drying grinding calcination stucco processing total

crushing grinding
Gypsum plaster 0.00681 0.07256 0.00410 0.17839 0.00105 - 0.26291

Calcium carbonate 0.00425 0.04532 0.00256 - - - 0.05214
Mica 0.00084 0.00894 0.00051 - - - 0.01028
Clay 0.00058 0.00621 0.00035 - - - 0.00714
Other 0.00033 0.00348 0.00020 - - - 0.00400
Compounding - - - - - 0.01521 0.01521
TOTAL 0.01281 0.13650 0.00772 0.17839 0.00105 0.01521 0.35168


MANUFACTURING BY ENERGY FORM (MJ/KG OF COMPOUND)
Gypsum plaster 0.45063 0.16370 0.08561 0.04694 0.74690

Mica 0.01441 0.00015 0.01055 0.00411 0.02922
Clay 0.01000 0.00010 0.00733 0.00286 0.02029
Other 0.00560 0.00006 0.00410 0.00160 0.01136
Compounding - - - 0.04320 0.04320
TOTAL 0.55368 0.16477 0.16107 0.11956 0.99909

MANUFACTURING BY ENERGY FORM (MJ/M 2 OF GYPSUM BOARD)
Gypsum plaster 0.15863 0.05763 0.03014 0.01653 0.26291

Mica 0.00507 0.00005 0.00371 0.00145 0.01028
Clay 0.00352 0.00004 0.00258 0.00101 0.00714
Other 0.00197 0.00002 0.00144 0.00056 0.00400
Compounding - - - 0.01521 0.01521
TOTAL 0.19490 0.05800 0.05670 0.04209 0.35168
Weighted average energy use in gypsum paper production was discussed in Section 4.2, and shown
in Table 4.11. Due to the already noted similarity between the paper used for joint tape and the
gypsum facings, we will assume that the embodied manufacturing energy for both types of paper is
the same. The only other energy input in the joint tape manufacturing is the power needed to lightly
sand the paper and to slit the large paper rolls into the rolls of paper tape. In comparison with the
other paper manufacturing energy inputs, this is negligible, and we will not consider it in our totals.
The energy estimates expressed per mass of paper in Table 4.11 are converted to MJ/m of joint tape
(52 mm wide) assuming paper weight of 0.2358 kg/m2, and taking into consideration typical usage
of 0.98 m of tape per m2 of gypsum board, unit factors are also expressed per m2 of the board
(Table 5.17).
TABLE 5.17 WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENERGY USE IN MANUFACTURING OF JOINT

PAPER TAPE BY ENERGY FORM
GJ/tonne of paper 11.60470 0.61080 2.91480 15.13020

MJ/m of tape 0.14229 0.00749 0.03574 0.18552
MJ/m2 of gypsum board 0.13945 0.00734 0.03503 0.18181
5.3 JOINT FINISHING PRODUCTS TRANSPORTATION

This subsection provides information regarding the distances and modes of the transportation of
joint finishing products from their point of manufacture to the distribution centres across Canada.
The ATHENATM computer model uses these data to calculate the energy consumption associated
with the finished products transportation from the plant gate to the market. Here, in the study, we
show some estimates just for illustration. Information regarding transportation distances and
modes obtained from some of the individual producers was supplemented by other known
geographical market distribution data. Based on our knowledge of the Canadian gypsum board and
associated finishing products markets, we made some assumptions regarding the relative market
share between the various national as well as regional producers.
Based on the information received from the joint compounds producers, we concluded that:
• Vancouver is served 70% by a local producer, 30% from Calgary, all by truck,
• Calgary is served 50% by a local producer, 40% from Edmonton, both by truck,
and the remaining 10% from Ontario by rail,
• Winnipeg is supplied 40% from Calgary, 60% from Ontario, both by rail, with
remaining local transport by truck,
• Toronto is served 70% by Ontario producers, with the remaining 30% coming
from Montreal, all by truck,
• Montreal is served 100% by local producers, all by truck,
• Halifax is supplied 90% from plants in Montreal, shipped by rail and locally
distributed by truck, with the remaining 10% served by a smaller regional supplier.
Further, it was assumed that only 20% backhaul is involved in the local truck transport, 50%
backhaul in the long distance (inter-city) truck transport, and 100% backhaul in the rail transport of
the finished goods. The weighted average transportation distances by mode were then developed
using the distances of each production facilities from the designated cities, and are shown in Table
5.18. For joint paper tape we assumed the same transportation distances and modes of transport as
for the joint compounds, as in most cases it is produced and shipped from the same production
facility as the joint compounds.

JOINT FINISHING PRODUCTS (KM)
Truck Rail
Vancouver 490.5 0
Calgary 234 300
Winnipeg 90 1740
Toronto 372 0
Montreal 90 0
Halifax 126 1125
Transport factors [MJ/tonne-km] 1.18 0.49

The weighted average distances from table 5.18 were converted to the energy estimates by applying
the appropriate energy per tonne-km consumption factors. The resulting estimates of the finished
products transportation energy unit factors are shown in Tables 5.20 to 5.24.

JOINT COMPOUNDS (MJ/KG OF COMPOUND)
Truck Rail Total

Vancouver 0.57879 0.00000 0.57879

Calgary 0.27612 0.14700 0.42312
Winnipeg 0.10620 0.85260 0.95880
Toronto 0.43896 0.00000 0.43896
Montreal 0.10620 0.00000 0.10620
Halifax 0.14868 0.55125 0.69993

READY MIX JOINT COMPOUNDS (MJ/M 2 OF BOARD)
Truck Rail Total

Vancouver 0.39010 0.00000 0.39010

Calgary 0.18610 0.09908 0.28518
Winnipeg 0.07158 0.57465 0.64623
Toronto 0.29586 0.00000 0.29586
Montreal 0.07158 0.00000 0.07158
Halifax 0.10021 0.37154 0.47175

SETTING JOINT COMPOUNDS (MJ/M 2 OF BOARD)
Truck Rail Total

Vancouver 0.20373 0.00000 0.20373

Calgary 0.09719 0.05174 0.14894
Winnipeg 0.03738 0.30012 0.33750
Toronto 0.15451 0.00000 0.15451
Montreal 0.03738 0.00000 0.03738
Halifax 0.05234 0.19404 0.24638

JOINT PAPER TAPE (MJ/M OF TAPE)
Truck Rail Total

Vancouver 0.00710 0.00000 0.00710

Calgary 0.00339 0.00180 0.00519
Winnipeg 0.00130 0.01045 0.01176
Toronto 0.00538 0.00000 0.00538
Montreal 0.00130 0.00000 0.00130
Halifax 0.00182 0.00676 0.00858

JOINT PAPER TAPE (MJ/M 2 OF BOARD)
Truck Rail Total

Vancouver 0.00695 0.00000 0.00695

Calgary 0.00332 0.00177 0.00508
Winnipeg 0.00128 0.01025 0.01152
Toronto 0.00527 0.00000 0.00527
Montreal 0.00128 0.00000 0.00128
Halifax 0.00179 0.00662 0.00841
5.4 JOINT FINISHING PRODUCTS - ENERGY SUMMARY

In this section we summarize all the preceding energy estimates associated with production of ready
mix joint compounds, setting joint compounds, and joint paper tape by processing stage and by
energy form. In the following tables (5.25 to 5.30), all these unit factors are expressed in both the
customary units that the products are marketed in, i.e. in MJ per kg for joint compounds and in MJ
per lineal meter for tape, as well as per m2 of gypsum board, so that their usage (and associated
energy) can be directly related to the gypsum board that it complements and finishes.
The relative distribution of energy used in production of associated finishing products by process
step is shown in Table 5.31 and Fig. 5.1. In a sharp contrast with gypsum board, where the
manufacturing step represents the biggest share of the embodied energy, for joint compounds it is
the raw materials transportation that contributes most to the total energy consumption. Combined
raw materials and finished goods transportation represents almost 75% of the total energy use.
TABLE 5.31 AVERAGE DISTRIBUTION OF ENERGY USE IN JOINT FINISHING

PRODUCTS PRODUCTION BY PROCESS STAGE [%]
Extraction Raw Materials Manufacturing Finished

Transport Goods
Transport
ready mix joint compounds 1.25 40.50 24.27 33.98

setting (dry) joint compounds 0.77 59.95 25.98 13.30
joint paper tape - 7.24 89.62 3.14
Extraction
RM Transport
100
Manufacturing
Finished Transport
% of total energy use
80
60
40
20
0
Ready Mix Setting Compound Joint Tape
Fig. 5.1: Breakdown of Energy Use in Joint Finishing Products Production by Process Stage
TABLE 5.25 ENERGY USE IN READY MIX JOINT COMPOUNDS PRODUCTION BY

PROCESS STAGE AND REGION
Ex- Raw Manufacturing Total Finished Total

traction Materials to Products to
Transport Gate Transport Market
minerals resin pro- total

pro- pro- cessing manu-
cessing duction facturing
[MJ/kg of compound]
Vancouver 0.01658 0.84773 0.24917 0.01855 0.05400 0.32172 1.18603 0.57879 1.76482
Calgary 0.01658 0.84773 0.24917 0.01855 0.05400 0.32172 1.18603 0.42312 1.60915
Winnipeg 0.01658 0.74805 0.24917 0.01855 0.05400 0.32172 1.08635 0.95880 2.04515
Toronto 0.01658 0.74805 0.24917 0.01855 0.05400 0.32172 1.08635 0.43896 1.52531
Montreal 0.01658 0.25816 0.24917 0.01855 0.05400 0.32172 0.59646 0.10620 0.70266
Halifax 0.01658 0.25816 0.24917 0.01855 0.05400 0.32172 0.59646 0.69993 1.29639
[MJ/m 2 of board]
Vancouver 0.01117 0.57137 0.16794 0.01250 0.03640 0.21684 0.79938 0.39010 1.18949
Calgary 0.01117 0.57137 0.16794 0.01250 0.03640 0.21684 0.79938 0.28518 1.08457
Winnipeg 0.01117 0.50418 0.16794 0.01250 0.03640 0.21684 0.73220 0.64623 1.37843
Toronto 0.01117 0.50418 0.16794 0.01250 0.03640 0.21684 0.73220 0.29586 1.02806
Montreal 0.01117 0.17400 0.16794 0.01250 0.03640 0.21684 0.40201 0.07158 0.47359
Halifax 0.01117 0.17400 0.16794 0.01250 0.03640 0.21684 0.40201 0.47175 0.87377
TABLE 5.26A CRADLE TO GATE ENERGY USE IN READY MIX JOINT

COMPOUNDS PRODUCTION BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION
diesel-road diesel-rail natural gas oil electric TOTAL
[MJ/kg of compound]
Vancouver 0.95427 0.00000 0.12657 0.00127 0.10392 1.18603

Calgary 0.95427 0.00000 0.12657 0.00127 0.10392 1.18603
Winnipeg 0.85459 0.00000 0.12657 0.00127 0.10392 1.08635
Toronto 0.85459 0.00000 0.12657 0.00127 0.10392 1.08635
Montreal 0.36470 0.00000 0.12657 0.00127 0.10392 0.59646
Halifax 0.36470 0.00000 0.12657 0.00127 0.10392 0.59646
[MJ/m 2 of board]
Vancouver 0.64318 0.00000 0.08531 0.00086 0.07004 0.79938

Calgary 0.64318 0.00000 0.08531 0.00086 0.07004 0.79938
Winnipeg 0.57599 0.00000 0.08531 0.00086 0.07004 0.73220
Toronto 0.57599 0.00000 0.08531 0.00086 0.07004 0.73220
Montreal 0.24581 0.00000 0.08531 0.00086 0.07004 0.40201
Halifax 0.24581 0.00000 0.08531 0.00086 0.07004 0.40201
TABLE 5.26B CRADLE TO MARKET ENERGY USE IN READY MIX JOINT

[MJ/kg of compound]
Vancouver 1.53306 0.00000 0.12657 0.00127 0.10392 1.76482

Calgary 1.23039 0.14700 0.12657 0.00127 0.10392 1.60915
Winnipeg 0.96079 0.85260 0.12657 0.00127 0.10392 2.04515
Toronto 1.29355 0.00000 0.12657 0.00127 0.10392 1.52531
Montreal 0.47090 0.00000 0.12657 0.00127 0.10392 0.70266
Halifax 0.51338 0.55125 0.12657 0.00127 0.10392 1.29639
[MJ/m 2 of board]
Vancouver 1.03328 0.00000 0.08531 0.00086 0.07004 1.18949

Calgary 0.82928 0.09908 0.08531 0.00086 0.07004 1.08457
Winnipeg 0.64757 0.57465 0.08531 0.00086 0.07004 1.37843
Toronto 0.87185 0.00000 0.08531 0.00086 0.07004 1.02806
Montreal 0.31739 0.00000 0.08531 0.00086 0.07004 0.47359
Halifax 0.34602 0.37154 0.08531 0.00086 0.07004 0.87377
TABLE 5.27 ENERGY USE IN SETTING JOINT COMPOUNDS PRODUCTION BY

Extraction Raw Manufacturing Total Finished Total

Materials to Products to
Transport Gate Transport Market
minerals pro- total

processing manu-
cessing facturing
[MJ/kg of compound]
Vancouver 0.02968 2.67120 0.95589 0.04320 0.99909 3.69997 0.57879 4.27876

Calgary 0.02968 2.67120 0.95589 0.04320 0.99909 3.69997 0.42312 4.12309
Winnipeg 0.02968 2.32218 0.95589 0.04320 0.99909 3.35095 0.95880 4.30975
Toronto 0.02968 2.32218 0.95589 0.04320 0.99909 3.35095 0.43896 3.78991
Montreal 0.02968 1.99514 0.95589 0.04320 0.99909 3.02391 0.10620 3.13011
Halifax 0.02968 1.99514 0.95589 0.04320 0.99909 3.02391 0.69993 3.72384
[MJ/m 2 of board]
Vancouver 0.01045 0.94026 0.33647 0.01521 0.35168 1.30239 0.20373 1.50612

Calgary 0.01045 0.94026 0.33647 0.01521 0.35168 1.30239 0.14894 1.45133
Winnipeg 0.01045 0.81741 0.33647 0.01521 0.35168 1.17953 0.33750 1.51703
Toronto 0.01045 0.81741 0.33647 0.01521 0.35168 1.17953 0.15451 1.33405
Montreal 0.01045 0.70229 0.33647 0.01521 0.35168 1.06442 0.03738 1.10180
Halifax 0.01045 0.70229 0.33647 0.01521 0.35168 1.06442 0.24638 1.31079
TABLE 5.28A CRADLE TO GATE ENERGY USE IN SETTING JOINT COMPOUNDS

PRODUCTION BY ENERGY FORM AND REGION
[MJ/kg of compound]
Vancouver 2.86195 0.00000 0.55368 0.16477 0.11956 3.69997

Calgary 2.86195 0.00000 0.55368 0.16477 0.11956 3.69997
Winnipeg 2.03763 0.47530 0.55368 0.16477 0.11956 3.35095
Toronto 2.03763 0.47530 0.55368 0.16477 0.11956 3.35095
Montreal 1.71059 0.47530 0.55368 0.16477 0.11956 3.02391
Halifax 1.71059 0.47530 0.55368 0.16477 0.11956 3.02391
[MJ/m 2 of board]
Vancouver 1.00741 0.00000 0.19490 0.05800 0.04209 1.30239

Calgary 1.00741 0.00000 0.19490 0.05800 0.04209 1.30239
Winnipeg 0.71725 0.16731 0.19490 0.05800 0.04209 1.17953
Toronto 0.71725 0.16731 0.19490 0.05800 0.04209 1.17953
Montreal 0.60213 0.16731 0.19490 0.05800 0.04209 1.06442
Halifax 0.60213 0.16731 0.19490 0.05800 0.04209 1.06442
TABLE 5.28B CRADLE TO MARKET ENERGY USE IN SETTING JOINT

[MJ/kg of compound]
Vancouver 3.44074 0.00000 0.55368 0.16477 0.11956 4.27876

Calgary 3.13807 0.14700 0.55368 0.16477 0.11956 4.12309
Winnipeg 2.14383 1.32790 0.55368 0.16477 0.11956 4.30975
Toronto 2.47659 0.47530 0.55368 0.16477 0.11956 3.78991
Montreal 1.81679 0.47530 0.55368 0.16477 0.11956 3.13011
Halifax 1.85927 1.02655 0.55368 0.16477 0.11956 3.72384
[MJ/m 2 of board]
Vancouver 1.21114 0.00000 0.19490 0.05800 0.04209 1.50612

Calgary 1.10460 0.05174 0.19490 0.05800 0.04209 1.45133
Winnipeg 0.75463 0.46742 0.19490 0.05800 0.04209 1.51703
Toronto 0.87176 0.16731 0.19490 0.05800 0.04209 1.33405
Montreal 0.63951 0.16731 0.19490 0.05800 0.04209 1.10180
Halifax 0.65446 0.36135 0.19490 0.05800 0.04209 1.31079
TABLE 5.29 ENERGY USE IN JOINT PAPER TAPE PRODUCTION BY

Raw Materials Transport Manu- Total Finished Total

facturing to Joint to
Gate Tape Market
Transport
waste finished total RMs

paper paper transport
[MJ/kg]
Vancouver 0.38940 0.96520 1.35460 15.13020 16.48480 0.57879 17.06359

Calgary 0.38940 0.96520 1.35460 15.13020 16.48480 0.42312 16.90792
Winnipeg 0.38940 0.67350 1.06290 15.13020 16.19310 0.95880 17.15190
Toronto 0.38940 0.67350 1.06290 15.13020 16.19310 0.43896 16.63206
Montreal 0.38940 0.85880 1.24820 15.13020 16.37840 0.10620 16.48460
Halifax 0.38940 0.85880 1.24820 15.13020 16.37840 0.69993 17.07833
[MJ/m of tape]
Vancouver 0.00477 0.01183 0.01661 0.18552 0.20213 0.00710 0.20923

Calgary 0.00477 0.01183 0.01661 0.18552 0.20213 0.00519 0.20732
Winnipeg 0.00477 0.00826 0.01303 0.18552 0.19855 0.01176 0.21031
Toronto 0.00477 0.00826 0.01303 0.18552 0.19855 0.00538 0.20394
Montreal 0.00477 0.01053 0.01530 0.18552 0.20083 0.00130 0.20213
Halifax 0.00477 0.01053 0.01530 0.18552 0.20083 0.00858 0.20941
[MJ/m 2 of board]
Vancouver 0.00468 0.01160 0.01628 0.18181 0.19809 0.00695 0.20504

Calgary 0.00468 0.01160 0.01628 0.18181 0.19809 0.00508 0.20317
Winnipeg 0.00468 0.00809 0.01277 0.18181 0.19458 0.01152 0.20610
Toronto 0.00468 0.00809 0.01277 0.18181 0.19458 0.00527 0.19986
Montreal 0.00468 0.01032 0.01500 0.18181 0.19681 0.00128 0.19809
Halifax 0.00468 0.01032 0.01500 0.18181 0.19681 0.00841 0.20522
TABLE 5.30A CRADLE TO GATE ENERGY USE IN JOINT PAPER TAPE

diesel- diesel- HFO- natural oil electric TOTAL

road rail marine gas
[MJ/kg]
Vancouver 1.35460 0.00000 0.00000 11.60470 0.61080 2.91480 16.48490

Calgary 1.35460 0.00000 0.00000 11.60470 0.61080 2.91480 16.48490
Winnipeg 1.06290 0.00000 0.00000 11.60470 0.61080 2.91480 16.19320
Toronto 1.06290 0.00000 0.00000 11.60470 0.61080 2.91480 16.19320
Montreal 1.23950 0.00000 0.00870 11.60470 0.61080 2.91480 16.37850
Halifax 1.23950 0.00000 0.00870 11.60470 0.61080 2.91480 16.37850
[MJ/m of tape]
Vancouver 0.01661 0.00000 0.00000 0.14229 0.00749 0.03574 0.20213

Calgary 0.01661 0.00000 0.00000 0.14229 0.00749 0.03574 0.20213
Winnipeg 0.01303 0.00000 0.00000 0.14229 0.00749 0.03574 0.19855
Toronto 0.01303 0.00000 0.00000 0.14229 0.00749 0.03574 0.19855
Montreal 0.01520 0.00000 0.00011 0.14229 0.00749 0.03574 0.20083
Halifax 0.01520 0.00000 0.00011 0.14229 0.00749 0.03574 0.20083
[MJ/m2 of board]
Vancouver 0.01628 0.00000 0.00000 0.13945 0.00734 0.03503 0.19809

Calgary 0.01628 0.00000 0.00000 0.13945 0.00734 0.03503 0.19809
Winnipeg 0.01277 0.00000 0.00000 0.13945 0.00734 0.03503 0.19458
Toronto 0.01277 0.00000 0.00000 0.13945 0.00734 0.03503 0.19458
Montreal 0.01489 0.00000 0.00010 0.13945 0.00734 0.03503 0.19681
Halifax 0.01489 0.00000 0.00010 0.13945 0.00734 0.03503 0.19681
TABLE 5.30B CRADLE TO MARKET ENERGY USE IN JOINT PAPER TAPE

diesel- diesel- HFO- natural oil electric TOTAL

road rail marine gas
[MJ/kg]
Vancouver 1.93339 0.00000 0.00000 11.60470 0.61080 2.91480 17.06369

Calgary 1.63072 0.14700 0.00000 11.60470 0.61080 2.91480 16.90802
Winnipeg 1.16910 0.85260 0.00000 11.60470 0.61080 2.91480 17.15200
Toronto 1.50186 0.00000 0.00000 11.60470 0.61080 2.91480 16.63216
Montreal 1.34570 0.00000 0.00870 11.60470 0.61080 2.91480 16.48470
Halifax 1.38818 0.55125 0.00870 11.60470 0.61080 2.91480 17.07843
[MJ/m of tape]
Vancouver 0.02371 0.00000 0.00000 0.14229 0.00749 0.03574 0.20923

Calgary 0.02000 0.00180 0.00000 0.14229 0.00749 0.03574 0.20732
Winnipeg 0.01434 0.01045 0.00000 0.14229 0.00749 0.03574 0.21031
Toronto 0.01842 0.00000 0.00000 0.14229 0.00749 0.03574 0.20394
Montreal 0.01650 0.00000 0.00011 0.14229 0.00749 0.03574 0.20213
Halifax 0.01702 0.00676 0.00011 0.14229 0.00749 0.03574 0.20941
[MJ/m2 of board]
Vancouver 0.02323 0.00000 0.00000 0.13945 0.00734 0.03503 0.20504

Calgary 0.01960 0.00177 0.00000 0.13945 0.00734 0.03503 0.20317
Winnipeg 0.01405 0.01025 0.00000 0.13945 0.00734 0.03503 0.20610
Toronto 0.01805 0.00000 0.00000 0.13945 0.00734 0.03503 0.19986
Montreal 0.01617 0.00000 0.00010 0.13945 0.00734 0.03503 0.19809
Halifax 0.01668 0.00662 0.00010 0.13945 0.00734 0.03503 0.20522
REFERENCES
2. Confidential information from the leading PVA resin manufacturer, January 1996.
6.0 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS - GYPSUM BOARD

This section addresses atmospheric emissions associated with the production of gypsum board in
all its processing stages, from the extraction and transportation of raw materials through
manufacturing and final transportation to markets.
Like any energy-burning production process, gypsum board production generates common air
pollutants including carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur oxides (SOx ) — primarily sulfur dioxide (SO2)
— nitrogen oxides (NOx ), volatile organic compounds (VOC), methane (CH4), and carbon
monoxide (CO) as well as total particulate matter (TPM). These energy-related emissions are
termed “fuel emissions”.
In a major contrast between gypsum-based products and those based on limestone, there is no
additional CO2 released during the calcination of gypsum. In processing of limestone in the
cement or lime industries, a substantial amount of CO2 (about 60% of the total) is released due to
its dissociation (calcination) at high temperatures. Calcination of gypsum that occurs at much lower
temperatures releases only some of the molecular water. The relatively low gypsum calcination
temperatures (at about 120° to 160°C as opposed to about 1,450°C for cement clinker processing)
has another “positive” effect as far as the atmospheric emissions are concerned: no “thermal”
NOx is generated. Therefore in a marked contrast to some other inorganic building materials
industries, apart from the particulate emissions, fuel emissions are the only emissions generated in
the production of gypsum board.
As in the energy section of the report, all results are presented in terms of weighted averages
developed for the three geographical regions (West, Central and East), and adjusted to take into
account transportation of the gypsum board to the six cities (Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg,
Toronto, Montreal and Halifax), following the same assumptions regarding shipping distances and
modes of transportation, as shown and discussed in Section 4.3.
Essentially no data on measured atmospheric emissions is publicly available from the gypsum
industry. In developing our atmospheric emission estimates, therefore, energy consumption unit
factors developed in Section 4 were used as a base to calculate CO2, SO2, NOx, CO, CH4 and VOC
releases. Contributions to atmospheric emissions by both the gypsum board production process
stages and source of energy/fuel are tabulated and discussed in some detail, including the
assumptions made and the reasoning for them.
6.1 APPROACH
With the exception of those related to electricity, energy-related atmospheric emission estimates
were developed using the energy estimates by process stage from Section 4 and energy emission
factors as given in Tables 3 and 6 of the Research Guidelines, based on factors developed by
Natural Resources Canada’s “Ad Hoc Committee on Emission Factors”.1 Applicable energy
emission factors used throughout this work are summarized in Table 6.1.
Emissions related to the generation of electricity used by the gypsum board industry are not
included in the tables that follow in this section. These emissions are being calculated separately
within the Sustainable Materials Project calculation model for all of the products under
consideration (i.e. concrete, steel, wood, gypsum board, and other materials under development).
The estimates of electricity use in gypsum board production presented in this report will be
translated into the mix of primary energy forms used to generate the electricity for the relevant
regional electrical systems. Corresponding atmospheric emissions will then be added in the model
to the other emissions estimated in this study.
TABLE 6.1 ENERGY EMISSION FACTORS (KG/GJ)
CO2 SO2 NOx VOC CH 4 CO
Natural gas 49.700 0.0002 0.0590 0.00120 0.00130 0.01500

Diesel road 70.700 0.1020 0.8070 0.08690 0.02170 0.44300
Diesel rail 70.700 0.1020 1.4000 0.07000 0.00780 0.05700
H.F. oil marine 74.000 0.4500 0.2000 0.36000 0.04000 0.00740
H.F. oil industrial. 74.000 0.8375 0.1600 0.00290 0.00082 0.01440
Coal - Central 87.600 0.8360 0.2500 0.00150 0.00054 0.09300
6.2 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSION ESTIMATES

6.2.1 Raw Materials Extraction
Raw materials extraction (usually quarrying in open pit operations) involves drilling and blasting,
with fractured rock handled and loaded onto trucks using front-end loaders, mechanical shovels and
traxcavators. Most of this equipment uses diesel fuel, although some sites use electrical power
only. Some heavy fuel oil and coal (for steam generation) are also used for on-site drying of both
the natural and by-product gypsum. Atmospheric emissions were estimated using the weighted
average energy estimates for raw materials extraction and on-site processing (Section 4.1) together
with appropriate diesel-road, heavy fuel oil, and coal emission factors.
Drilling, blasting and loading operations also create dust emissions. Environment Canada’s report
entitled A Nationwide Inventory of Emissions of Air Contaminants 2 quotes particulate emission
factors taken from a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) paper.3 For open-pit mining, a
particulate emission factor of 0.51 kg/tonne is given, whereas for underground mining a factor of
0.05 kg/tonne is shown. As in some areas gypsum from both underground mines and quarries is
used, weighted average particulate emission factors per tonne of rock were developed for the
Canadian gypsum industry. We also have to take into account that natural rock represents a
different percentage of the total gypsum supply in various regions of the country. Based on the
limited amount of data from some gypsum quarries and mines, we assumed that on average 0.373
tonnes of solid waste is generated per tonne of extracted gypsum. Applying this multiplier (1.373),
as well as another for conversion of gypsum to stucco (1.2048), as discussed in Section 3.1, we
obtain the following TPM factors:
TABLE 6.2 WEIGHTED AVERAGE TPM EXTRACTION FACTORS APPLICABLE TO

CANADIAN GYPSUM INDUSTRY
Natural gypsum as TPM emissions TPM emissions

% of total supply (kg/tonne of rock) (kg/tonne of stucco)
West 86.50 0.5100 0.7297

Central 85.33 0.0970 0.1369
East 81.26 0.3662 0.4922
(As an example: weighted average TPM factor for the East region = 0.3662 (weighted average of 0.05 for
underground mines and 0.51 for quarries, reflecting their relative contribution in the region) multiplied by 0.8126
(share of the natural gypsum in the total gypsum supply) times 1.373 (to account for mining solid waste) times
1.2048 (to convert to per tonnes of stucco units) =
TPM East = 0.3662 x 0.8126 x 1.373 x 1.2048 = 0.4922.)
For estimates of extraction TPM of gypsum fiberboard, we considered the fact that only locally
quarried natural gypsum is used in its production. The contribution of perlite quarrying to the total
particulate emissions was also taken into account.
These factors were used to estimate weighted averages for total particulate (TPM) emissions due to
raw materials extraction. It should be noted that the EPA extraction emissions factors also include
particulate emissions due to raw materials transportation. However, as the transportation particulate
emissions are rather small in comparison to the extraction dust emissions, we felt that using the
EPA numbers results in only a small error in the allocation of particulate emissions and, what is
more important, both particulate emissions are still captured in the totals. Although blasting agents
also generate some nitrogen oxides and some hydrocarbons, these emissions do not contribute
significantly to the pollution burden, and are considered to be negligible.1
Total estimated atmospheric emissions due to gypsum board raw materials extraction, for a 1/2"
thick regular gypsum board, are shown in Table 6.3. The emissions for the other types of gypsum
boards are tabulated in the summary part of this section.
TABLE 6.3 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO GYPSUM BOARD RAW MATERIALS

EXTRACTION (G/M 2 OF 1/2" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD)
CO 2 SO 2 NO x VOC CH 4 CO TPM
West Avg. 13.42 0.0194 0.1531 0.0165 0.0041 0.0841 4.6419

Central Avg. 4.78 0.0267 0.0336 0.0029 0.0007 0.0172 0.8709
East Avg. 16.12 0.0502 0.1588 0.0166 0.0041 0.0845 3.1312
CANADA 10.13 0.0326 0.0976 0.0100 0.0025 0.0521 2.3275
6.2.2 Raw Materials Transportation

Raw materials transportation energy unit factors based on information provided directly by most
gypsum board manufacturing operations were shown in Section 4.1, Tables 4.4 and 4.6 for 1/2"
regular gypsum board. These factors were multiplied by the appropriate emission factors from
Table 6.1. The resulting raw materials transportation emissions estimates for such a board are
presented in Table 6.4. As noted above, particulate emissions related to raw material transportation
are included in Table 6.3. Again, the emissions for the other gypsum board products are shown in
the summary part of this section.
TABLE 6.4 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO GYPSUM BOARD RAW MATERIALS

TRANSPORTATION (G/M 2 OF 1/2" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD)
CO 2 SO 2 NO x VOC CH 4 CO
West Avg. 753.17 2.0090 7.6994 1.6250 0.2581 2.9497

Central Avg. 153.92 0.2221 1.7569 0.1892 0.0472 0.9644
East Avg. 453.40 1.0769 4.3813 0.8887 0.1605 2.2790
CANADA 371.37 0.8615 3.8322 0.7059 0.1256 1.7605
6.2.3 Gypsum Board Manufacturing

Atmospheric emissions are generated in all steps of the gypsum board manufacturing process
described in Section 2 of this report, i.e. in gypsum calcination, in the paper making process, and in
the gypsum board manufacturing itself. Use of energy to drive the crushers, screens, hammer mills,
Raymond mills, the various conveyors, and especially fuel combustion in the calcination step,
generates all the common air pollutants (i.e. CO2, SO2, NOx, VOCs, CH4 and CO) usually
associated with energy consumption. Similarly the paper manufacturing process energy use in all
the processing steps, from waste paper defiberization through paper formation, pressing, drying and
calendering, generates atmospheric fuel emissions.
Of the three board processing steps, the gypsum board manufacturing, due to the board drying in
heated board kilns, uses about the same amount of energy as the other two steps combined (Table
4.35). Fossil fuels providing the kiln heat produce the common atmospheric emissions.
Particulate matter is also generated as rock gypsum is dried and reduced to fine particles through
crushing and milling, and as gypsum is conveyed and processed in the calcination kettles to stucco,
and eventually into the board. A nationwide emissions inventory (1978)2 offers uncontrolled
particulate emission factors (Table 6.5) based on the U.S. EPA 1977 data, and in calculation of the
actual TPM emissions it assumes 90% control efficiency. Considering the advances in the
particulate emissions controls and their implementation, these data appear to be somewhat obsolete
now. Particulate emissions from paper board production are considered to be negligible.2
As any industry, the gypsum industry has been under some pressure to control its particulate
emissions. High efficiency baghouses and some electrostatic precipitators are installed and used in
all modern gypsum operations, and this is reflected in updated U.S. EPA 1983 controlled
particulate emission factors.4 The EPA controlled emissions indicate 99.7% control efficiency. At
the same time, however, the large spread in the factor estimates is an indication that there is relatively
little actual measured data available, mainly due to the fact that the gypsum industry does not
present any substantial particulates problem. This is best summarized in a response from one of
the provincial authorities: “Based on site inspections, which demonstrated no visible particulate
emissions, the Company was not required to do particulate stack testing.”
Estimates of particulate emissions were obtained from provincial environmental ministries in

Quebec, Ontario and from GVRD (Greater Vancouver Regional District). Ontario data cover all
producers, and as such appear to be representative of the situation in the province. The reported
weighted average TPM emissions of 0.2109 g/m2 are substantially better than even EPA assumed
controlled emission. This is not surprising, considering that the Ontario plants are the flagship
operations of the respective producers, and as such their emissions controls will be close to the
state-of-the-art. As Ontario represents close to 90% of the Central region, we will use this factor
for the entire region. For the East we received data concerning only one plant. At 0.7546 g/m2 of
board, it is close to the EPA estimate, and we will assume that it is representative of the whole
region. The GVRD data are permit data giving the maximum allowable annual emissions, but
providing only scant measured data. From this limited actual emission monitoring, it would appear
that the performance at 1.7494 g/m2 is substantially better than maximum potential assessment,
although not as good as in the other regions. The above discussed gypsum board manufacturing
TPM factors are summarized in Table 6.6.
TABLE 6.5 ENVIRONMENT CANADA AND U.S. EPA PARTICULATE EMISSION

FACTORS FOR GYPSUM PROCESSING (KG/TONNE)
Environment Canada 1978 U.S. EPA AP-42 1985 4

Inventory 2
uncontrolled controlled uncontrolled controlled
emissions emissions* emissions emissions**
raw material drying 20.0 2.0 5 – 60 0.02

primary grinding 0.5 0.05 1.3 0.06
calcining 45.0 4.5 21 0.003
conveying 0.35 0.035 - -
board sawing - - 0.005 -
TOTAL 65.85 6.585 27.305 – 82.305 0.083
TOTAL g/m2 for 1/2" 504.66 50.47 209.26 – 630.76 0.636

board; gypsum use
7.6637 kg/m2 of board
notes: * assuming 90% control efficiencies, ** with baghouse / fabric filter
TABLE 6.6 ESTIMATES OF PARTICULATE EMISSION FACTORS FOR GYPSUM

PROCESSING BY REGION (G/M 2 OF 1/2" BOARD)
Weighted TPM Emissions
West Region 1.7494

Central Region 0.2109
East Region 0.7546
Processing (expansion) of perlite used in manufacturing of gypsum fiberboard also generates

particulate emissions. According to U.S. EPA, uncontrolled emissions for perlite expansion are
10.5 kg/tonne.5 For our estimates, we will use the same particulate emissions as for gypsum
(assuming that perlite expansion generates about the same TPM as gypsum calcination) in the East
region adjusted for relative usage of gypsum and perlite in GFB.
Weighted averages of estimates for atmospheric emissions due to all three manufacturing stages of
gypsum board production, as well as the total, are summarized in Tables 6.7 to 6.10 for 1/2" regular
gypsum board. The emissions for the other board products are shown in the summary part of this
section.
TABLE 6.7 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO STUCCO CALCINATION

(G/M 2 OF 1/2” REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD)
CO2 SO2 NOx VOC CH 4 CO TPM
West 642.37 2.4903 0.9770 0.0188 0.0135 0.1703 1.7494

Central 435.98 1.1865 1.4019 0.1052 0.0317 0.5832 0.2109
East 668.64 3.0635 2.8025 0.2280 0.0622 1.2052 0.7546
CANADA 541.27 1.9472 1.6262 0.1128 0.0344 0.6277 0.7163
TABLE 6.8 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO GYPSUM PAPER PRODUCTION

West 293.27 0.2423 0.3689 0.0074 0.0073 0.0862

Central 293.27 0.2423 0.3689 0.0074 0.0073 0.0862
East 293.27 0.2423 0.3689 0.0074 0.0073 0.0862
CANADA 293.27 0.2423 0.3689 0.0074 0.0073 0.0862
TABLE 6.9 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO BOARD MANUFACTURING

West 1012.53 3.2303 1.4801 0.0287 0.0222 0.2750

Central 907.84 2.1708 1.2645 0.0248 0.0209 0.2535
East 1090.85 6.2933 1.8370 0.0347 0.0202 0.2696
CANADA 976.50 3.3985 1.4518 0.0281 0.0210 0.2625
TABLE 6.10 SUBTOTAL OF ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS FROM ALL THREE

MANUFACTURING STEPS (G/M 2 OF 1/2” REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD)
West 1948.18 5.9629 2.8260 0.0550 0.0430 0.5315 1.7494

Central 1637.09 3.5996 3.0353 0.1374 0.0599 0.9228 0.2109
East 2052.76 9.5991 5.0084 0.2701 0.0897 1.5611 0.7546
CANADA 1811.04 5.5880 3.4469 0.1483 0.0628 0.9765 0.7163
Permissible levels of SO2, NOx and TPM emissions are regulated by the provinces. However, as
gypsum board plants, in comparison with many other operations, generate relatively low emissions,
there are no known monitoring data of such operations for either SO2 and NOx. According to
industry sources, monitoring of air quality with respect to TPM near board plants indicates that the
current emission limits are not exceeded.
6.2.4 Finished Gypsum Board Transportation

The ATHENATM computer model calculates atmospheric emissions associated with the finished
products transportation from the plant gate to the market, taking into consideration distances and
transport modes, as tabulated in Table 4.15. To better recall this information, it is shown in this
subsection again.
To provide a picture of atmospheric emissions associated with finished products transportation in

this study as well, the weighted average emissions related to finished 1/2" gypsum board
transportation to market distribution centres were calculated by combining transportation energy
emission factors from Table 6.1 with the estimates of transportation energy use by fuel type
developed and presented in Table 4.17. The results are shown in Table 6.11, while the finished
board transportation emissions for the other gypsum board products are tabulated in the summary
part of this section.

FINISHED GYPSUM BOARD (KM)

Truck Rail Ship
Vancouver 90 0 0
Calgary 225 300 0
Winnipeg 90 400 0
Toronto 153 0 0
Montreal 288 0 0
Halifax 279 847.5 110
Transport factors [MJ/tonne-km] 1.18 0.49 0.12
TABLE 6.11 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO TRANSPORTATION OF FINISHED

GYPSUM BOARD (G/M 2 OF 1/2" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD)
West Vancouver 60.54 0.0873 0.6910 0.0744 0.0186 0.3793

Calgary 235.15 0.3393 3.3870 0.2690 0.0557 1.0159
Central Winnipeg 172.28 0.2485 2.9036 0.1850 0.0309 0.4694
Toronto 102.92 0.1485 1.1748 0.1265 0.0316 0.6449
East Montreal 193.73 0.2795 2.2113 0.2381 0.0595 1.2139
Halifax 432.29 0.6602 6.8514 0.5034 0.0880 1.3676
6.3 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS SUMMARY

Total atmospheric emissions due to the production of 1/2" regular gypsum board are shown in
Table 6.12. Comprehensive tables of atmospheric emissions by process stage for all gypsum board
products under consideration are shown as Tables 6.13 to 6.20.
TABLE 6.12 TOTAL ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO GYPSUM BOARD

PRODUCTION - FROM CRADLE TO MARKET
(G/M 2 OF 1/2" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD)
West Vancouver 2775.30 8.0786 11.3696 1.7708 0.3238 3.9446 6.3913

Calgary 2949.91 8.3305 14.0655 1.9654 0.3609 4.5812 6.3913
Toronto 1898.70 3.9968 6.0006 0.4560 0.1395 2.5494 1.0818
East Montreal 2716.01 11.0056 11.7598 1.4135 0.3138 5.1384 3.8858
Halifax 2954.57 11.3863 16.3998 1.6787 0.3423 5.2921 3.8858
TABLE 6.13 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO PRODUCTION OF

1/2" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD (G/M 2 )
Gypsum extraction & processing emissions

West 13.42 0.0194 0.1531 0.0165 0.0041 0.0841 4.6419
Central 4.78 0.0267 0.0336 0.0029 0.0007 0.0172 0.8709
East 16.13 0.0502 0.1588 0.0166 0.0041 0.0845 3.1312
CANADA 10.13 0.0326 0.0976 0.0100 0.0025 0.0521 2.3275
Total raw materials transportation emissions
West 753.17 2.0090 7.6994 1.6250 0.2581 2.9497
Central 153.92 0.2221 1.7569 0.1892 0.0472 0.9644
East 453.40 1.0769 4.3813 0.8887 0.1605 2.2790
CANADA 371.37 0.8615 3.8322 0.7059 0.1256 1.7605
Total manufacturing emissions
West 1948.18 5.9629 2.8260 0.0550 0.0430 0.5315 1.7494
Central 1637.09 3.5996 3.0353 0.1374 0.0599 0.9228 0.2109
East 2052.76 9.5991 5.0084 0.2701 0.0897 1.5611 0.7546
CANADA 1811.04 5.5880 3.4469 0.1483 0.0628 0.9765 0.7163
Cradle to gate emissions
West 2714.76 7.9913 10.6785 1.6964 0.3052 3.5653 6.3913
Central 1795.78 3.8483 4.8258 0.3295 0.1079 1.9045 1.0818
East 2522.28 10.7261 9.5485 1.1753 0.2543 3.9245 3.8858
CANADA 2192.53 6.4821 7.3767 0.8643 0.1909 2.7891 3.0438
Transportation emissions for the finished product
West Vancouver 60.54 0.0873 0.6910 0.0744 0.0186 0.3793
Calgary 235.15 0.3393 3.3870 0.2690 0.0557 1.0159
Toronto 102.92 0.1485 1.1748 0.1265 0.0316 0.6449
East Montreal 193.73 0.2795 2.2113 0.2381 0.0595 1.2139
Halifax 432.29 0.6602 6.8514 0.5034 0.0880 1.3676
Total emissions associated with 1/2" regular board
West Vancouver 2775.30 8.0786 11.3696 1.7708 0.3238 3.9446 6.3913
Calgary 2949.91 8.3305 14.0655 1.9654 0.3609 4.5812 6.3913
Toronto 1898.70 3.9968 6.0006 0.4560 0.1395 2.5494 1.0818
East Montreal 2716.01 11.0056 11.7598 1.4135 0.3138 5.1384 3.8858
Halifax 2954.57 11.3863 16.3998 1.6787 0.3423 5.2921 3.8858

1/2" TYPE X FIRE RESISTANT GYPSUM BOARD (G/M 2 )

West 13.70 0.0198 0.1564 0.0168 0.0042 0.0858 4.6214
Central 4.88 0.0272 0.0344 0.0030 0.0007 0.0176 0.8671
East 16.46 0.0512 0.1622 0.0169 0.0042 0.0863 3.1173
CANADA 10.34 0.0333 0.0996 0.0102 0.0026 0.0532 2.3172
West 765.89 2.0469 7.8256 1.6554 0.2625 2.9918
Central 155.03 0.2237 1.7696 0.1906 0.0476 0.9714
East 460.52 1.0960 4.4458 0.9044 0.1631 2.3118
CANADA 376.74 0.8762 3.8849 0.7178 0.1275 1.7822
West 1948.86 6.0050 2.8304 0.0550 0.0430 0.5314 1.7417
Central 1633.40 3.6141 3.0488 0.1394 0.0603 0.9314 0.2100
East 2054.01 9.6534 5.0515 0.2746 0.0907 1.5828 0.7513
CANADA 1809.58 5.6186 3.4651 0.1504 0.0632 0.9860 0.7132
West 2728.45 8.0717 10.8124 1.7273 0.3097 3.6090 6.3631
Central 1793.31 3.8650 4.8527 0.3329 0.1086 1.9204 1.0771
East 2530.99 10.8006 9.6596 1.1959 0.2580 3.9809 3.8686
CANADA 2196.66 6.5280 7.4497 0.8784 0.1932 2.8214 3.0303
West Vancouver 61.46 0.0887 0.7015 0.0755 0.0189 0.3851
Calgary 238.72 0.3444 3.4383 0.2731 0.0565 1.0313
Toronto 104.48 0.1507 1.1926 0.1284 0.0321 0.6547
East Montreal 196.67 0.2837 2.2449 0.2417 0.0604 1.2323
Halifax 438.84 0.6702 6.9552 0.5110 0.0893 1.3883
Total emissions associated with 1/2" type X board
West Vancouver 2789.91 8.1604 11.5139 1.8028 0.3286 3.9941 6.3631
Calgary 2967.17 8.4161 14.2507 2.0004 0.3663 4.6404 6.3631
Toronto 1897.79 4.0157 6.0453 0.4613 0.1407 2.5751 1.0771
East Montreal 2727.65 11.0844 11.9044 1.4376 0.3184 5.2132 3.8686
Halifax 2969.83 11.4708 16.6147 1.7069 0.3474 5.3692 3.8686

1/2" MR MOISTURE RESISTANT GYPSUM BOARD (G/M 2 )

West 15.22 0.0220 0.1737 0.0187 0.0047 0.0954 5.0903
Central 5.42 0.0302 0.0382 0.0033 0.0008 0.0196 0.9551
East 18.29 0.0569 0.1802 0.0188 0.0047 0.0959 3.4336
CANADA 11.49 0.0370 0.1107 0.0113 0.0028 0.0591 2.5523
West 849.24 2.2718 8.6753 1.8372 0.2912 3.3135
Central 171.13 0.2469 1.9534 0.2103 0.0525 1.0723
East 510.36 1.2158 4.9248 1.0032 0.1808 2.5604
CANADA 417.28 0.9716 4.3015 0.7959 0.1412 1.9719
West 2042.87 6.3049 2.9678 0.0577 0.0450 0.5569 1.9184
Central 1704.00 3.7661 3.2343 0.1518 0.0644 1.0038 0.2313
East 2150.99 10.0183 5.3960 0.3010 0.0983 1.7257 0.8275
CANADA 1892.12 5.8569 3.6762 0.1637 0.0676 1.0634 0.7855
West 2907.33 8.5986 11.8168 1.9136 0.3409 3.9657 7.0087
Central 1880.55 4.0433 5.2259 0.3655 0.1178 2.0956 1.1863
East 2679.64 11.2910 10.5010 1.3230 0.2838 4.3820 4.2611
CANADA 2320.89 6.8655 8.0884 0.9710 0.2117 3.0945 3.3378
West Vancouver 67.88 0.0979 0.7748 0.0834 0.0208 0.4253
Calgary 263.66 0.3804 3.7976 0.3016 0.0625 1.1391
Toronto 115.40 0.1665 1.3172 0.1418 0.0354 0.7231
East Montreal 217.22 0.3134 2.4794 0.2670 0.0667 1.3611
Halifax 484.69 0.7402 7.6818 0.5644 0.0986 1.5334
Total emissions associated with 1/2" MR board
West Vancouver 2975.21 8.6966 12.5916 1.9970 0.3617 4.3911 7.0088
Calgary 3170.99 8.9790 15.6144 2.2152 0.4033 5.1048 7.0088
Toronto 1995.95 4.2098 6.5431 0.5073 0.1532 2.8187 1.1863
East Montreal 2896.85 11.6044 12.9803 1.5899 0.3505 5.7430 4.2611
Halifax 3164.32 12.0312 18.1828 1.8874 0.3825 5.9154 4.2611

5/8" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD (G/M 2 )

West 17.53 0.0253 0.2001 0.0215 0.0054 0.1098 6.0610
Central 6.24 0.0348 0.0440 0.0038 0.0010 0.0225 1.1372
East 21.06 0.0655 0.2075 0.0217 0.0054 0.1104 4.0884
CANADA 13.23 0.0426 0.1275 0.0131 0.0033 0.0681 3.0390
West 969.33 2.6035 9.8918 2.1049 0.3326 3.7618
Central 191.42 0.2762 2.1850 0.2353 0.0588 1.1994
East 581.10 1.3903 5.5963 1.1468 0.2062 2.9075
CANADA 473.96 1.1092 4.8782 0.9084 0.1606 2.2296
West 2401.78 7.5366 3.4999 0.0680 0.0528 0.6536 2.2842
Central 2001.27 4.5089 3.7856 0.1760 0.0749 1.1660 0.2754
East 2534.00 12.1142 6.3310 0.3487 0.1139 1.9989 0.9853
CANADA 2224.65 7.0373 4.3128 0.1900 0.0787 1.2356 0.9353
West 3388.64 10.1655 13.5918 2.1945 0.3908 4.5252 8.3453
Central 2198.94 4.8199 6.0145 0.4151 0.1347 2.3879 1.4126
East 3136.16 13.5700 12.1348 1.5172 0.3255 5.0167 5.0737
CANADA 2711.80 8.1891 9.3185 1.1114 0.2425 3.5332 3.9743
West Vancouver 77.24 0.1114 0.8816 0.0949 0.0237 0.4840
Calgary 300.00 0.4328 4.3210 0.3432 0.0711 1.2961
Toronto 131.30 0.1894 1.4987 0.1614 0.0403 0.8227
East Montreal 247.16 0.3566 2.8211 0.3038 0.0759 1.5487
Halifax 551.50 0.8423 8.7407 0.6422 0.1122 1.7448
Total emissions associated with 5/8" regular board
West Vancouver 3465.88 10.2769 14.4734 2.2894 0.4145 5.0092 8.3453
Calgary 3688.64 10.5983 17.9128 2.5377 0.4619 5.8213 8.3453
Toronto 2330.24 5.0094 7.5132 0.5765 0.1750 3.2107 1.4126
East Montreal 3383.31 13.9266 14.9560 1.8210 0.4014 6.5653 5.0737
Halifax 3687.65 14.4123 20.8755 2.1594 0.4377 6.7614 5.0737

5/8" TYPE X FIRE RESISTANT GYPSUM BOARD (G/M 2 )

West 17.78 0.0256 0.2029 0.0219 0.0055 0.1114 6.1473
Central 6.33 0.0353 0.0446 0.0039 0.0010 0.0228 1.1534
East 21.36 0.0665 0.2105 0.0220 0.0055 0.1119 4.1466
CANADA 13.42 0.0432 0.1293 0.0133 0.0033 0.0691 3.0823
West 981.18 2.6379 10.0103 2.1326 0.3368 3.8030
Central 192.82 0.2782 2.2009 0.2370 0.0592 1.2082
East 587.86 1.4079 5.6587 1.1613 0.2086 2.9394
CANADA 479.14 1.1228 4.9303 0.9194 0.1624 2.2517
West 2406.06 7.5768 3.5085 0.0682 0.0529 0.6545 2.3167
Central 2001.69 4.5247 3.8021 0.1778 0.0753 1.1746 0.2793
East 2538.77 12.1652 6.3737 0.3528 0.1149 2.0191 0.9993
CANADA 2227.04 7.0674 4.3335 0.1919 0.0791 1.2451 0.9486
West 3405.02 10.2404 13.7216 2.2226 0.3951 4.5688 8.4640
Central 2200.84 4.8383 6.0476 0.4186 0.1355 2.4057 1.4327
East 3147.99 13.6395 12.2429 1.5361 0.3290 5.0705 5.1459
CANADA 2719.60 8.2334 9.3930 1.1246 0.2448 3.5658 4.0309
West Vancouver 78.89 0.1138 0.9005 0.0970 0.0242 0.4943
Calgary 306.41 0.4421 4.4134 0.3505 0.0726 1.3238
Toronto 134.11 0.1935 1.5308 0.1648 0.0412 0.8403
East Montreal 252.44 0.3642 2.8814 0.3103 0.0775 1.5818
Halifax 563.29 0.8603 8.9275 0.6559 0.1146 1.7821
Total emissions associated with 5/8" type X board
West Vancouver 3483.91 10.3542 14.6221 2.3196 0.4193 5.0631 8.4640
Calgary 3711.43 10.6824 18.1350 2.5731 0.4677 5.8926 8.4640
Toronto 2334.95 5.0317 7.5784 0.5835 0.1767 3.2460 1.4327
East Montreal 3400.43 14.0037 15.1243 1.8464 0.4065 6.6522 5.1459
Halifax 3711.27 14.4998 21.1704 2.1920 0.4437 6.8525 5.1459

5/8" MR MOISTURE RESISTANT GYPSUM BOARD (G/M 2 )

West 19.52 0.0282 0.2228 0.0240 0.0060 0.1223 6.5267
Central 6.95 0.0388 0.0489 0.0042 0.0011 0.0251 1.2246
East 23.45 0.0730 0.2310 0.0241 0.0060 0.1229 4.4025
CANADA 14.73 0.0474 0.1419 0.0145 0.0036 0.0758 3.2725
West 1076.80 2.8954 10.9853 2.3407 0.3696 4.1727
Central 211.45 0.3051 2.4135 0.2599 0.0649 1.3249
East 645.08 1.5452 6.2091 1.2745 0.2289 3.2252
CANADA 525.73 1.2322 5.4094 1.0090 0.1782 2.4702
West 2515.52 7.9213 3.6680 0.0713 0.0553 0.6842 2.4597
Central 2084.40 4.7002 4.0167 0.1921 0.0801 1.2579 0.2965
East 2651.63 12.5839 6.7699 0.3830 0.1236 2.1831 1.0610
CANADA 2323.40 7.3414 4.5772 0.2072 0.0842 1.3341 1.0072
West 3611.83 10.8448 14.8761 2.4360 0.4309 4.9792 8.9864
Central 2302.79 5.0440 6.4792 0.4562 0.1461 2.6079 1.5211
East 3320.17 14.2020 13.2101 1.6817 0.3586 5.5311 5.4635
CANADA 2863.85 8.6211 10.1286 1.2308 0.2661 3.8802 4.2797
West Vancouver 86.23 0.1244 0.9842 0.1060 0.0265 0.5403
Calgary 334.92 0.4832 4.8239 0.3831 0.0793 1.4469
Toronto 146.58 0.2115 1.6732 0.1802 0.0450 0.9185
East Montreal 275.92 0.3981 3.1495 0.3391 0.0847 1.7289
Halifax 615.69 0.9403 9.7580 0.7170 0.1253 1.9478
Total emissions associated with 5/8" MR board
West Vancouver 3698.06 10.9692 15.8603 2.5420 0.4573 5.5195 8.9864
Calgary 3946.75 11.3280 19.7001 2.8191 0.5102 6.4262 8.9864
Toronto 2449.38 5.2555 8.1524 0.6364 0.1911 3.5264 1.5211
East Montreal 3596.09 14.6001 16.3596 2.0208 0.4433 7.2600 5.4635
Halifax 3935.85 15.1423 22.9681 2.3986 0.4839 7.4790 5.4635

5/16" MOBILE HOME GYPSUM BOARD (G/M 2 )

West 9.48 0.0137 0.1082 0.0116 0.0029 0.0594 3.2594
Central 3.37 0.0188 0.0238 0.0021 0.0005 0.0122 0.6115
East 11.39 0.0354 0.1122 0.0117 0.0029 0.0597 2.1986
CANADA 7.15 0.0230 0.0689 0.0071 0.0018 0.0368 1.6343
West 548.45 1.4428 5.6262 1.1680 0.1873 2.1865
Central 119.56 0.1725 1.3647 0.1470 0.0367 0.7492
East 332.89 0.7794 3.2380 0.6436 0.1172 1.6883
CANADA 274.96 0.6269 2.8509 0.5143 0.0926 1.3225
West 1390.53 4.0291 1.9975 0.0389 0.0310 0.3815 1.2284
Central 1179.30 2.4460 2.1629 0.0975 0.0431 0.6597 0.1481
East 1458.03 6.3484 3.5101 0.1904 0.0642 1.1092 0.5299
CANADA 1296.59 3.7506 2.4384 0.1049 0.0451 0.6969 0.5030
West 1948.45 5.4856 7.7319 1.2186 0.2212 2.6274 4.4878
Central 1302.24 2.6373 3.5514 0.2465 0.0803 1.4210 0.7596
East 1802.31 7.1632 6.8603 0.8457 0.1843 2.8572 2.7285
CANADA 1578.69 4.4005 5.3583 0.6263 0.1394 2.0562 2.1373
West Vancouver 44.03 0.0635 0.5026 0.0541 0.0135 0.2759
Calgary 171.02 0.2467 2.4633 0.1956 0.0405 0.7389
Toronto 74.85 0.1080 0.8544 0.0920 0.0230 0.4690
East Montreal 140.90 0.2033 1.6083 0.1732 0.0432 0.8828
Halifax 314.39 0.4801 4.9828 0.3661 0.0640 0.9946
Total emissions associated with 5/16" mobile home board
West Vancouver 1992.48 5.5491 8.2345 1.2727 0.2348 2.9033 4.4878
Calgary 2119.47 5.7324 10.1952 1.4142 0.2618 3.3663 4.4878
Toronto 1377.09 2.7453 4.4058 0.3385 0.1032 1.8901 0.7596
East Montreal 1943.21 7.3665 8.4685 1.0189 0.2276 3.7400 2.7285
Halifax 2116.70 7.6433 11.8431 1.2118 0.2483 3.8518 2.7285

1" SHAFTLINER GYPSUM BOARD (G/M 2 )

West 32.92 0.0475 0.3757 0.0405 0.0101 0.2063 11.4330
Central 11.72 0.0654 0.0826 0.0072 0.0018 0.0423 2.1451
East 39.56 0.1231 0.3897 0.0407 0.0102 0.2073 7.7120
CANADA 24.84 0.0800 0.2394 0.0245 0.0061 0.1279 5.7325
West 1777.39 4.8274 18.0857 3.9002 0.6115 6.7951
Central 331.09 0.4777 3.7792 0.4070 0.1016 2.0746
East 1058.25 2.5620 10.1349 2.1122 0.3769 5.2547
CANADA 856.93 2.0351 8.7842 1.6650 0.2915 3.9802
West 3905.11 12.8218 5.7395 0.1113 0.0851 1.0572 4.3088
Central 3189.32 7.5040 6.3509 0.3155 0.1271 2.0271 0.5194
East 4126.19 20.3542 10.9323 0.6365 0.2006 3.5857 1.8586
CANADA 3584.98 11.8257 7.2760 0.3407 0.1341 2.1547 1.7643
West 5715.41 17.6967 24.2009 4.0520 0.7067 8.0586 15.7417
Central 3532.13 8.0470 10.2127 0.7296 0.2306 4.1440 2.6645
East 5223.99 23.0393 21.4569 2.7893 0.5877 9.0476 9.5706
CANADA 4466.75 13.9407 16.2996 2.0303 0.4316 6.2627 7.4968
West Vancouver 143.10 0.2064 1.6334 0.1759 0.0439 0.8966
Calgary 555.82 0.8019 8.0057 0.6358 0.1317 2.4013
Toronto 243.27 0.3510 2.7767 0.2990 0.0747 1.5243
East Montreal 457.91 0.6606 5.2268 0.5628 0.1405 2.8692
Halifax 1021.78 1.5605 16.1941 1.1898 0.2080 3.2326
Total emissions associated with 1" shaftliner board
West Vancouver 5858.51 17.9032 25.8343 4.2279 0.7506 8.9552 15.7418
Calgary 6271.23 18.4986 32.2066 4.6878 0.8383 10.4598 15.7418
Toronto 3775.40 8.3980 12.9894 1.0286 0.3052 5.6682 2.6645
East Montreal 5681.91 23.6999 26.6837 3.3522 0.7283 11.9169 9.5706
Halifax 6245.77 24.5998 37.6510 3.9792 0.7957 12.2802 9.5706

1/2" GYPSUM FIBERBOARD (GFB) (G/M 2 )

17.91 0.0258 0.2045 0.0220 0.0055 0.1122 6.1276
229.97 1.069 1.409 0.856 0.104 0.352
2141.39 3.376 4.752 0.285 0.105 1.750 0.9697
2389.28 4.4705 6.3650 1.1623 0.2145 2.2146 7.0973
Vancouver 2264.06 3.266 44.833 2.242 0.250 1.825
Calgary 1891.11 2.728 37.448 1.872 0.209 1.525
Winnipeg 1371.62 1.979 27.161 1.358 0.151 1.106
Toronto 704.03 1.016 13.941 0.697 0.078 0.568
Montreal 494.68 0.714 9.796 0.490 0.055 0.399
Halifax 336.10 0.485 3.836 0.413 0.103 2.106
Total emissions associated with 1/2" GFB
West Vancouver 4653.34 7.7369 51.1979 3.4040 0.4643 4.0399 7.0973
Calgary 4280.39 7.1988 43.8128 3.0347 0.4231 3.7393 7.0973
Toronto 3093.31 5.4862 20.3062 1.8594 0.2922 2.7822 7.0973
East Montreal 2883.96 5.1842 16.1607 1.6521 0.2691 2.6134 7.0973
Halifax 2725.37 4.9554 10.2013 1.5754 0.3177 4.3205 7.0973

5/8" GYPSUM FIBERBOARD (GFB) (G/M 2 )

22.23 0.0321 0.2537 0.0273 0.0068 0.1393 7.6031
285.35 1.326 1.748 1.062 0.129 0.437
2665.02 4.189 5.906 0.354 0.131 2.174 1.2031
2972.60 5.5470 7.9072 1.4424 0.2664 2.7503 8.8062
West Vancouver 2827.61 4.079 55.992 2.800 0.312 2.280
Calgary 2361.83 3.407 46.769 2.338 0.261 1.904
Toronto 879.27 1.269 17.411 0.871 0.097 0.709
East Montreal 617.81 0.891 12.234 0.612 0.068 0.498
Halifax 419.75 0.606 4.791 0.516 0.129 2.630
Total emissions associated with 5/8" GFB
West Vancouver 5800.21 9.6264 63.8994 4.2420 0.5783 5.0300 8.8062
Calgary 5334.43 8.9545 54.6760 3.7809 0.5269 4.6544 8.8062
Toronto 3851.87 6.8155 25.3184 2.3130 0.3634 3.4592 8.8062
East Montreal 3590.41 6.4383 20.1411 2.0541 0.3345 3.2484 8.8062
Halifax 3392.35 6.1526 12.6984 1.9583 0.3952 5.3804 8.8062
REFERENCES
1. “Emission Factors for Greenhouse and Other Gases by Fuel Type: An Inventory”, Energy,
Mines and Resources Canada, Ad Hoc Committee on Emissions Factors, December 1990.
2. “A Nationwide Inventory of Emissions of Air Contaminants”, Environment Canada, Report
EPS 3-EP-83-10, December 1983.
3. “Metals Mining and Milling Process Profiles with Environmental Aspects, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA-600/2-76-167, Washington, USA, 1976.
4. “Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors”, Section 8.14 “Gypsum Manufacturing”
(May 1983), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA AP-42, 4th edition, September 1985.
5. “Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors”, Section 8.17 “Gypsum Manufacturing”
(February 1972), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA AP-42, 4th edition, September
1985.
7.0 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS - JOINT FINISHING PRODUCTS

In this section atmospheric emission estimates for joint finishing products are developed using the
same approach employed in the development of estimates for emissions associated with gypsum
board production, as was described in some detail in Section 6.0.
To calculate CO2, SO2, NOx, CO, CH4 and VOC releases, energy consumption unit factors
developed in Section 5 were used as a base, combined with the energy emission factors as given in
Tables 3 and 6 of the Research Guidelines, based on factors developed by Natural Resources
Canada’s “Ad Hoc Committee on Emission Factors”.1 Applicable energy emission factors used
throughout this work were summarized in Section 6, Table 6.1. Contributions to atmospheric
emissions, with the exception of those related to electricity, were developed for all three types of
finishing products under consideration (ready mix joint compound, setting (dry) compound, and
joint paper tape). They are tabulated and discussed in the individual subsections below.
The emissions related to the generation of electricity are being calculated separately within the
Sustainable Materials Project calculation model for all of the products under consideration (i.e.
concrete, steel, wood, gypsum board, and other materials under development). The estimates of
electricity use in gypsum board and associated finishing products production presented in this
report will be translated into the mix of primary energy forms used to generate the electricity for the
relevant regional electrical systems. Corresponding atmospheric emissions will then be added in
the model to the other emissions estimated in this study.
7.1 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSION ESTIMATES

As noted in Section 5.1, while both types of joint compounds are comprised of a number of
different raw materials, all of those with embodied extraction energy are industrial minerals quarried
in open pits. Quarrying involves drilling and blasting, with fractured rock handled and loaded onto
trucks using front-end loaders, mechanical shovels and traxcavators. In agreement with the
Sustainable Materials Project Research Guidelines, we assumed that it takes 0.027 GJ/tonne2 for
extraction of all of these materials, including gypsum, and that all this energy is in the form of diesel
fuel - road. (As far as gypsum is concerned, this assumption is slightly different from those
discussed for gypsum extraction for gypsum board production. However, as indicated in Section 5,
gypsum used in production of setting compound is often calcined in a different manner, and it is
always natural gypsum of as high a purity as possible.) Furthermore we assumed that the same
amount of energy is required to extract the required quantities of raw materials in all geographical
regions, and that consequently the same emissions are generated all across Canada. Atmospheric
emissions were estimated using the average energy estimates for joint compounds raw materials
extraction (Table 5.1) together with appropriate diesel-road emission factors from Table 6.1.
For the estimates of particulate emissions due to the drilling, blasting and loading in open-pit
mining operations, a factor of 0.51 kg/tonne is used.3,4 For gypsum, we have assumed a high
grade quality gypsum deposit, and considered the requirement of 1.2048 tonnes of gypsum for a
tonne of stucco.
Resulting estimates of atmospheric emissions due to the extraction of raw materials for the
production of ready mix joint compound are presented in Table 7.1, and those for setting joint
compounds in Table 7.2. As the joint paper tape is made entirely from recycled paper, we assume
no raw materials extraction or emissions there.
7.1.2 Raw Materials Transportation

In estimating raw materials transportation emissions factors, average raw materials energy
transportation estimates (by energy form) developed in Section 5.1 (Tables 5.2 and 5.3 for ready
mix compound, 5.4 and 5.5 for setting compound, and 5.6-5.8 for joint paper tape) were multiplied
by appropriate emission energy factors from Table 6.1. The resulting atmospheric emissions
estimates are shown in Tables 7.3 - 7.5. As already noted in Section 5, the specific grades of
industrial minerals needed to produce joint compounds often have to be brought over from distant
locations. Consequently the raw materials transportation contribution to the total energy, and
therefore also to the atmospheric emissions total is rather high.
TABLE 7.1 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO READY MIX JOINT COMPOUND RAW
MATERIALS EXTRACTION
CO2 SO2 NOx VOC CH4 CO TPM
g/kg of compound
Vancouver 1.17206 0.00169 0.01338 0.00144 0.00036 0.00734 0.31314

Calgary 1.17206 0.00169 0.01338 0.00144 0.00036 0.00734 0.31314
Winnipeg 1.17206 0.00169 0.01338 0.00144 0.00036 0.00734 0.31314
Toronto 1.17206 0.00169 0.01338 0.00144 0.00036 0.00734 0.31314
Montreal 1.17206 0.00169 0.01338 0.00144 0.00036 0.00734 0.31314
Halifax 1.17206 0.00169 0.01338 0.00144 0.00036 0.00734 0.31314
g/m2 of board
Vancouver 0.78997 0.00114 0.00902 0.00097 0.00024 0.00495 0.21106

Calgary 0.78997 0.00114 0.00902 0.00097 0.00024 0.00495 0.21106
Winnipeg 0.78997 0.00114 0.00902 0.00097 0.00024 0.00495 0.21106
Toronto 0.78997 0.00114 0.00902 0.00097 0.00024 0.00495 0.21106
Montreal 0.78997 0.00114 0.00902 0.00097 0.00024 0.00495 0.21106
Halifax 0.78997 0.00114 0.00902 0.00097 0.00024 0.00495 0.21106
TABLE 7.2 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO SETTING JOINT COMPOUND RAW

MATERIALS EXTRACTION
g/kg of compound
Vancouver 2.09851 0.00303 0.02395 0.00258 0.00064 0.01315 0.56066

Calgary 2.09851 0.00303 0.02395 0.00258 0.00064 0.01315 0.56066
Winnipeg 2.09851 0.00303 0.02395 0.00258 0.00064 0.01315 0.56066
Toronto 2.09851 0.00303 0.02395 0.00258 0.00064 0.01315 0.56066
Montreal 2.09851 0.00303 0.02395 0.00258 0.00064 0.01315 0.56066
Halifax 2.09851 0.00303 0.02395 0.00258 0.00064 0.01315 0.56066
g/m2 of board
Vancouver 0.73867 0.00107 0.00843 0.00091 0.00023 0.00463 0.19735

Calgary 0.73867 0.00107 0.00843 0.00091 0.00023 0.00463 0.19735
Winnipeg 0.73867 0.00107 0.00843 0.00091 0.00023 0.00463 0.19735
Toronto 0.73867 0.00107 0.00843 0.00091 0.00023 0.00463 0.19735
Montreal 0.73867 0.00107 0.00843 0.00091 0.00023 0.00463 0.19735
Halifax 0.73867 0.00107 0.00843 0.00091 0.00023 0.00463 0.19735
TABLE 7.3 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO READY MIX JOINT COMPOUND RAW
MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION
CO2 SO2 NOx VOC CH4 CO
g/kg of compound
Vancouver 59.93437 0.08647 0.68412 0.07367 0.01840 0.37554

Calgary 59.93437 0.08647 0.68412 0.07367 0.01840 0.37554
Winnipeg 52.88699 0.07630 0.60367 0.06501 0.01623 0.33139
Toronto 52.88699 0.07630 0.60367 0.06501 0.01623 0.33139
Montreal 18.25191 0.02633 0.20834 0.02243 0.00560 0.11436
Halifax 18.25191 0.02633 0.20834 0.02243 0.00560 0.11436
g/m2 of board
Vancouver 40.39577 0.05828 0.46109 0.04965 0.01240 0.25312

Calgary 40.39577 0.05828 0.46109 0.04965 0.01240 0.25312
Winnipeg 35.64583 0.05143 0.40688 0.04381 0.01094 0.22335
Toronto 35.64583 0.05143 0.40688 0.04381 0.01094 0.22335
Montreal 12.30179 0.01775 0.14042 0.01512 0.00378 0.07708
Halifax 12.30179 0.01775 0.14042 0.01512 0.00378 0.07708
TABLE 7.4 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO SETTING JOINT COMPOUND RAW

g/kg of compound
Vancouver 188.85384 0.27246 2.15566 0.23213 0.05797 1.18334

Calgary 188.85384 0.27246 2.15566 0.23213 0.05797 1.18334
Winnipeg 164.17813 0.23686 2.15585 0.19376 0.04378 0.84526
Toronto 164.17813 0.23686 2.15585 0.19376 0.04378 0.84526
Montreal 141.05640 0.20350 1.89193 0.16535 0.03669 0.70038
Halifax 141.05640 0.20350 1.89193 0.16535 0.03669 0.70038
g/m2 of board
Vancouver 66.47655 0.09591 0.75879 0.08171 0.02040 0.41654

Calgary 66.47655 0.09591 0.75879 0.08171 0.02040 0.41654
Winnipeg 57.79070 0.08338 0.75886 0.06821 0.01541 0.29753
Toronto 57.79070 0.08338 0.75886 0.06821 0.01541 0.29753
Montreal 49.65185 0.07163 0.66596 0.05820 0.01291 0.24653
Halifax 49.65185 0.07163 0.66596 0.05820 0.01291 0.24653
TABLE 7.5 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO JOINT PAPER TAPE RAW

kg/tonne of paper
Vancouver 95.77022 0.13817 1.09316 0.11771 0.02939 0.60009

Calgary 95.77022 0.13817 1.09316 0.11771 0.02939 0.60009
Winnipeg 75.14703 0.10842 0.85776 0.09237 0.02306 0.47086
Toronto 75.14703 0.10842 0.85776 0.09237 0.02306 0.47086
Montreal 88.27645 0.13034 1.00202 0.11084 0.02725 0.54916
Halifax 88.27645 0.13034 1.00202 0.11084 0.02725 0.54916
g/meter of tape
Vancouver 1.17430 0.00169 0.01340 0.00144 0.00036 0.00736

Calgary 1.17430 0.00169 0.01340 0.00144 0.00036 0.00736
Winnipeg 0.92142 0.00133 0.01052 0.00113 0.00028 0.00577
Toronto 0.92142 0.00133 0.01052 0.00113 0.00028 0.00577
Montreal 1.08241 0.00160 0.01229 0.00136 0.00033 0.00673
Halifax 1.08241 0.00160 0.01229 0.00136 0.00033 0.00673
g/m2 of board
Vancouver 1.15081 0.00166 0.01314 0.00141 0.00035 0.00721
Calgary 1.15081 0.00166 0.01314 0.00141 0.00035 0.00721
Winnipeg 0.90299 0.00130 0.01031 0.00111 0.00028 0.00566
Toronto 0.90299 0.00130 0.01031 0.00111 0.00028 0.00566
Montreal 1.06076 0.00157 0.01204 0.00133 0.00033 0.00660
Halifax 1.06076 0.00157 0.01204 0.00133 0.00033 0.00660
7.1.3 Joint Finishing Products Manufacturing

Atmospheric emissions are generated in all steps of the finishing products manufacturing process
where energy is used. Industrial raw minerals have to be processed - dried and reduced to proper
size through secondary grinding and milling. Furthermore, gypsum used in the setting compounds
has to be calcined. The processing of joint compounds involves compounding and mixing of all the
raw materials together, pumping and packaging of the finished materials. Use of energy in all these
processing steps results in generation of common air pollutants, although as most of the processing
is done at room temperatures, in comparison with many other processes, the energy used and the
resulting emissions are relatively low.
Particulate emissions are released in handling and processing of industrial minerals used in joint
compound production. We assumed that drying and secondary processing (grinding, milling) of
all industrial minerals will generate similar TPM emissions. Gypsum plaster processing, of course,
includes the calcining caused TPM emission as well. Based on Environment Canada nationwide
emission inventory (1978)3 data for gypsum processing (Table 5.5), we arrived at the following
controlled emission factors:
• limestone, mica, talc, clay 2.085 kg/tonne

• gypsum plaster 6.585 kg/tonne
In Section 6 while discussing gypsum paper processing, in agreement with the EC nationwide
emission inventory (1978) we assumed that the particulate emissions associated with paper
production are negligible. Despite all the similarities between the gypsum paper and paper used for
joint tape production, however, we believe that in the case of joint tape some particulate emissions
are generated due to the sanding, buffing and cutting operations, that have to be taken into
consideration. Based on U.S. EPA AP-425, the following particulate emission factors for paper
tape manufacturing was used:
• paper tape 0.3 kg/tonne.
The resulting estimates of atmospheric emissions associated with manufacturing of the three
relevant joint finishing materials are shown in Tables 7.6, 7.7 and 7.8. As we assumed the same
energy inputs (Section 5.2) into these products’ manufacture in all production facilities across
Canada, atmospheric emissions assigned to the manufacturing are the same in all six cities under
consideration.
TABLE 7.6 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO MANUFACTURING OF READY MIX

JOINT COMPOUND AND ITS CONSTITUENTS
g/kg of compound
Vancouver 12.74505 0.01027 0.08027 0.00797 0.00212 0.04177 1.28019

Calgary 12.74505 0.01027 0.08027 0.00797 0.00212 0.04177 1.28019
Winnipeg 12.74505 0.01027 0.08027 0.00797 0.00212 0.04177 1.28019
Toronto 12.74505 0.01027 0.08027 0.00797 0.00212 0.04177 1.28019
Montreal 12.74505 0.01027 0.08027 0.00797 0.00212 0.04177 1.28019
Halifax 12.74505 0.01027 0.08027 0.00797 0.00212 0.04177 1.28019
g/m2 of board
Vancouver 8.59016 0.00692 0.05410 0.00537 0.00143 0.02815 0.86285

Calgary 8.59016 0.00692 0.05410 0.00537 0.00143 0.02815 0.86285
Winnipeg 8.59016 0.00692 0.05410 0.00537 0.00143 0.02815 0.86285
Toronto 8.59016 0.00692 0.05410 0.00537 0.00143 0.02815 0.86285
Montreal 8.59016 0.00692 0.05410 0.00537 0.00143 0.02815 0.86285
Halifax 8.59016 0.00692 0.05410 0.00537 0.00143 0.02815 0.86285
TABLE 7.7 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO MANUFACTURING OF SETTING

JOINT COMPOUND AND ITS CONSTITUENTS
g/kg of compound
Vancouver 51.09884 0.15454 0.18902 0.01514 0.00435 0.08203 4.92157

Calgary 51.09884 0.15454 0.18902 0.01514 0.00435 0.08203 4.92157
Winnipeg 51.09884 0.15454 0.18902 0.01514 0.00435 0.08203 4.92157
Toronto 51.09884 0.15454 0.18902 0.01514 0.00435 0.08203 4.92157
Montreal 51.09884 0.15454 0.18902 0.01514 0.00435 0.08203 4.92157
Halifax 51.09884 0.15454 0.18902 0.01514 0.00435 0.08203 4.92157
g/m2 of board
Vancouver 17.98679 0.05440 0.06653 0.00533 0.00153 0.02888 1.73239

Calgary 17.98679 0.05440 0.06653 0.00533 0.00153 0.02888 1.73239
Winnipeg 17.98679 0.05440 0.06653 0.00533 0.00153 0.02888 1.73239
Toronto 17.98679 0.05440 0.06653 0.00533 0.00153 0.02888 1.73239
Montreal 17.98679 0.05440 0.06653 0.00533 0.00153 0.02888 1.73239
Halifax 17.98679 0.05440 0.06653 0.00533 0.00153 0.02888 1.73239
TABLE 7.8 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO MANUFACTURING OF PAPER

JOINT TAPE
[kg/tonne of paper]
Vancouver 621.95279 0.51387 0.78241 0.01570 0.01559 0.18287 0.30000

Calgary 621.95279 0.51387 0.78241 0.01570 0.01559 0.18287 0.30000
Winnipeg 621.95279 0.51387 0.78241 0.01570 0.01559 0.18287 0.30000
Toronto 621.95279 0.51387 0.78241 0.01570 0.01559 0.18287 0.30000
Montreal 621.95279 0.51387 0.78241 0.01570 0.01559 0.18287 0.30000
Halifax 621.95279 0.51387 0.78241 0.01570 0.01559 0.18287 0.30000
[g/meter of tape]
Vancouver 7.62614 0.00630 0.00959 0.00019 0.00019 0.00224 0.00368

Calgary 7.62614 0.00630 0.00959 0.00019 0.00019 0.00224 0.00368
Winnipeg 7.62614 0.00630 0.00959 0.00019 0.00019 0.00224 0.00368
Toronto 7.62614 0.00630 0.00959 0.00019 0.00019 0.00224 0.00368
Montreal 7.62614 0.00630 0.00959 0.00019 0.00019 0.00224 0.00368
Halifax 7.62614 0.00630 0.00959 0.00019 0.00019 0.00224 0.00368
[g/m2 of board]
Vancouver 7.47361 0.00617 0.00940 0.00019 0.00019 0.00220 0.00360

Calgary 7.47361 0.00617 0.00940 0.00019 0.00019 0.00220 0.00360
Winnipeg 7.47361 0.00617 0.00940 0.00019 0.00019 0.00220 0.00360
Toronto 7.47361 0.00617 0.00940 0.00019 0.00019 0.00220 0.00360
Montreal 7.47361 0.00617 0.00940 0.00019 0.00019 0.00220 0.00360
Halifax 7.47361 0.00617 0.00940 0.00019 0.00019 0.00220 0.00360
7.1.4 Finished Associated Products Transportation

The ATHENATM computer model calculates the finished products transportation emissions from the
distances and modes of transport, as shown in Table 5.18. For an illustration, some finished
associated products transportation emissions are shown in this study as well. The average
atmospheric emissions due to transportation of finished associated products to the markets were
calculated by combining energy emission factors from Table 6.1 with the estimates of finished
products transportation energy use by fuel type developed and shown in Tables 5.20 to 5.24. The
results are shown in Tables 7.9 for ready mix compound, 7.10 for setting compound, and 7.11 for
joint paper tape.

READY MIX JOINT COMPOUND
g/kg of compound
Vancouver 40.92045 0.05904 0.46708 0.05030 0.01256 0.25640

Calgary 29.91458 0.04316 0.42863 0.03428 0.00714 0.13070
Winnipeg 67.78716 0.09780 1.27934 0.06891 0.00895 0.09564
Toronto 31.03447 0.04477 0.35424 0.03815 0.00953 0.19446
Montreal 7.50834 0.01083 0.08570 0.00923 0.00230 0.04705
Halifax 49.48505 0.07139 0.89173 0.05151 0.00753 0.09729
g/m2 of board
Vancouver 27.58039 0.03979 0.31481 0.03390 0.00847 0.17282

Calgary 20.16243 0.02909 0.28890 0.02311 0.00481 0.08809
Winnipeg 45.68855 0.06592 0.86228 0.04645 0.00604 0.06446
Toronto 20.91723 0.03018 0.23876 0.02571 0.00642 0.13107
Montreal 5.06062 0.00730 0.05776 0.00622 0.00155 0.03171
Halifax 33.35292 0.04812 0.60103 0.03472 0.00507 0.06557

SETTING JOINT COMPOUND
g/kg of compound
Vancouver 40.92045 0.05904 0.46708 0.05030 0.01256 0.25640

Calgary 29.91458 0.04316 0.42863 0.03428 0.00714 0.13070
Winnipeg 67.78716 0.09780 1.27934 0.06891 0.00895 0.09564
Toronto 31.03447 0.04477 0.35424 0.03815 0.00953 0.19446
Montreal 7.50834 0.01083 0.08570 0.00923 0.00230 0.04705
Halifax 49.48505 0.07139 0.89173 0.05151 0.00753 0.09729
g/m2 of board
Vancouver 14.40400 0.02078 0.16441 0.01770 0.00442 0.09025

Calgary 10.52993 0.01519 0.15088 0.01207 0.00251 0.04601
Winnipeg 23.86108 0.03442 0.45033 0.02426 0.00315 0.03367
Toronto 10.92413 0.01576 0.12469 0.01343 0.00335 0.06845
Montreal 2.64294 0.00381 0.03017 0.00325 0.00081 0.01656
Halifax 17.41874 0.02513 0.31389 0.01813 0.00265 0.03424

PAPER JOINT TAPE
[kg/tonne of paper]
Vancouver 40.92045 0.00000 0.46708 1.48283 0.04195 0.00000

Calgary 29.91458 0.02999 0.54726 1.47959 0.03653 0.07350
Winnipeg 67.78716 0.17393 1.96739 1.55018 0.03202 0.42630
Toronto 31.03447 0.00000 0.35424 1.44533 0.03259 0.00000
Montreal 7.50834 0.00000 0.08570 1.43251 0.02920 0.00000
Halifax 49.48505 0.11246 1.33659 1.52269 0.03442 0.27563
[g/meter of tape]
Vancouver 0.50175 0.00072 0.00573 0.00062 0.00015 0.00314

Calgary 0.36680 0.00053 0.00526 0.00042 0.00009 0.00160
Winnipeg 0.83118 0.00120 0.01569 0.00084 0.00011 0.00117
Toronto 0.38053 0.00055 0.00434 0.00047 0.00012 0.00238
Montreal 0.09206 0.00013 0.00105 0.00011 0.00003 0.00058
Halifax 0.60677 0.00088 0.01093 0.00063 0.00009 0.00119
[g/m2 of board]
Vancouver 0.49172 0.00071 0.00561 0.00060 0.00015 0.00308

Calgary 0.35946 0.00052 0.00515 0.00041 0.00009 0.00157
Winnipeg 0.81456 0.00118 0.01537 0.00083 0.00011 0.00115
Toronto 0.37292 0.00054 0.00426 0.00046 0.00011 0.00234
Montreal 0.09022 0.00013 0.00103 0.00011 0.00003 0.00057
Halifax 0.59463 0.00086 0.01072 0.00062 0.00009 0.00117
7.2 JOINT FINISHING PRODUCTS ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS -

SUMMARY
Total atmospheric emissions due to the production of ready mix joint compounds, setting joint
compounds, and joint paper tape, are summarized and shown in Tables 7.12, 7.13 and 7.14,
respectively. The emission unit factors are expressed in both grams per unit of production and in
grams per m2 of gypsum board. More detailed summary tables showing breakdown due to process
stage and region are shown in Tables 7.15 to 7.21.
TABLE 7.12 TOTAL ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO PRODUCTION OF

READY MIX JOINT COMPOUND
g/kg of compound
Vancouver 114.77194 0.15746 1.24485 0.13338 0.03343 0.68106 1.59333

Calgary 103.76607 0.14158 1.20639 0.11737 0.02801 0.55536 1.59333
Winnipeg 134.59127 0.18606 1.97667 0.14333 0.02766 0.47614 1.59333
Toronto 97.83858 0.13303 1.05156 0.11256 0.02824 0.57496 1.59333
Montreal 39.67737 0.04912 0.38769 0.04108 0.01038 0.21053 1.59333
Halifax 81.65408 0.10968 1.19372 0.08336 0.01561 0.26077 1.59333
g/m2 of board
Vancouver 77.35629 0.10613 0.83903 0.08990 0.02253 0.45904 1.07390

Calgary 69.93833 0.09543 0.81311 0.07910 0.01888 0.37431 1.07390
Winnipeg 90.71452 0.12540 1.33227 0.09660 0.01865 0.32092 1.07390
Toronto 65.94320 0.08966 0.70875 0.07587 0.01903 0.38752 1.07390
Montreal 26.74255 0.03311 0.26130 0.02769 0.00700 0.14189 1.07390
Halifax 55.03485 0.07393 0.80457 0.05618 0.01052 0.17576 1.07390

SETTING JOINT COMPOUND
g/kg of compound
Vancouver 282.97164 0.48906 2.83571 0.30014 0.07552 1.53493 5.48223

Calgary 271.96577 0.47318 2.79726 0.28413 0.07010 1.40922 5.48223
Winnipeg 285.16264 0.49222 3.64816 0.28039 0.05773 1.03609 5.48223
Toronto 248.40995 0.43920 2.72306 0.24963 0.05830 1.13490 5.48223
Montreal 201.76209 0.37190 2.19060 0.19229 0.04399 0.84261 5.48223
Halifax 243.73880 0.43246 2.99663 0.23457 0.04921 0.89285 5.48223
g/m2 of board
Vancouver 99.60602 0.17215 0.99817 0.10565 0.02658 0.54029 1.92975

Calgary 95.73195 0.16656 0.98463 0.10001 0.02467 0.49605 1.92975
Winnipeg 100.37725 0.17326 1.28415 0.09870 0.02032 0.36470 1.92975
Toronto 87.44030 0.15460 0.95852 0.08787 0.02052 0.39949 1.92975
Montreal 71.02025 0.13091 0.77109 0.06769 0.01548 0.29660 1.92975
Halifax 85.79606 0.15223 1.05482 0.08257 0.01732 0.31428 1.92975

PAPER JOINT TAPE
[kg/tonne of paper]
Vancouver 758.64346 0.71107 2.34265 0.18371 0.05754 1.03936 0.30000

Calgary 747.63759 0.69519 2.30420 0.16770 0.05212 0.91365 0.30000
Winnipeg 764.88698 0.72008 2.91951 0.17697 0.04761 0.74938 0.30000
Toronto 728.13429 0.66706 1.99441 0.14621 0.04818 0.84819 0.30000
Montreal 717.73758 0.65504 1.87013 0.13577 0.04514 0.77908 0.30000
Halifax 759.71429 0.71560 2.67616 0.17805 0.05036 0.82932 0.30000
[g/meter of tape]
Vancouver 9.30218 0.00872 0.02872 0.00225 0.00071 0.01274 0.00368

Calgary 9.16723 0.00852 0.02825 0.00206 0.00064 0.01120 0.00368
Winnipeg 9.37874 0.00883 0.03580 0.00217 0.00058 0.00919 0.00368
Toronto 8.92809 0.00818 0.02445 0.00179 0.00059 0.01040 0.00368
Montreal 8.80061 0.00803 0.02293 0.00166 0.00055 0.00955 0.00368
Halifax 9.31531 0.00877 0.03281 0.00218 0.00062 0.01017 0.00368
[MJ/m2 of board]
Vancouver 9.11614 0.00854 0.02815 0.00221 0.00069 0.01249 0.00360

Calgary 8.98389 0.00835 0.02769 0.00202 0.00063 0.01098 0.00360
Winnipeg 9.19116 0.00865 0.03508 0.00213 0.00057 0.00900 0.00360
Toronto 8.74953 0.00802 0.02397 0.00176 0.00058 0.01019 0.00360
Montreal 8.62460 0.00787 0.02247 0.00163 0.00054 0.00936 0.00360
Halifax 9.12901 0.00860 0.03216 0.00214 0.00061 0.00997 0.00360
TABLE 7.15 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO PRODUCTION OF READY MIX JOINT

COMPOUND BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION (G/KG OF COMPOUND)
Extraction
Vancouver 1.17206 0.00169 0.01338 0.00144 0.00036 0.00734 0.31314
Calgary 1.17206 0.00169 0.01338 0.00144 0.00036 0.00734 0.31314
Winnipeg 1.17206 0.00169 0.01338 0.00144 0.00036 0.00734 0.31314
Toronto 1.17206 0.00169 0.01338 0.00144 0.00036 0.00734 0.31314
Montreal 1.17206 0.00169 0.01338 0.00144 0.00036 0.00734 0.31314
Halifax 1.17206 0.00169 0.01338 0.00144 0.00036 0.00734 0.31314
Raw Materials Transport
Vancouver 59.93437 0.08647 0.68412 0.07367 0.01840 0.37554
Calgary 59.93437 0.08647 0.68412 0.07367 0.01840 0.37554
Winnipeg 52.88699 0.07630 0.60367 0.06501 0.01623 0.33139
Toronto 52.88699 0.07630 0.60367 0.06501 0.01623 0.33139
Montreal 18.25191 0.02633 0.20834 0.02243 0.00560 0.11436
Halifax 18.25191 0.02633 0.20834 0.02243 0.00560 0.11436
Manufacturing
Vancouver 12.74505 0.01027 0.08027 0.00797 0.00212 0.04177 1.28019
Calgary 12.74505 0.01027 0.08027 0.00797 0.00212 0.04177 1.28019
Winnipeg 12.74505 0.01027 0.08027 0.00797 0.00212 0.04177 1.28019
Toronto 12.74505 0.01027 0.08027 0.00797 0.00212 0.04177 1.28019
Montreal 12.74505 0.01027 0.08027 0.00797 0.00212 0.04177 1.28019
Halifax 12.74505 0.01027 0.08027 0.00797 0.00212 0.04177 1.28019
Cradle to Gate Emissions
Vancouver 73.85148 0.09843 0.77777 0.08308 0.02087 0.42466 1.59333
Calgary 73.85148 0.09843 0.77777 0.08308 0.02087 0.42466 1.59333
Winnipeg 66.80411 0.08826 0.69732 0.07442 0.01871 0.38050 1.59333
Toronto 66.80411 0.08826 0.69732 0.07442 0.01871 0.38050 1.59333
Montreal 32.16903 0.03829 0.30198 0.03185 0.00808 0.16348 1.59333
Halifax 32.16903 0.03829 0.30198 0.03185 0.00808 0.16348 1.59333
Finished Products Transport
Vancouver 40.92045 0.05904 0.46708 0.05030 0.01256 0.25640
Calgary 29.91458 0.04316 0.42863 0.03428 0.00714 0.13070
Winnipeg 67.78716 0.09780 1.27934 0.06891 0.00895 0.09564
Toronto 31.03447 0.04477 0.35424 0.03815 0.00953 0.19446
Montreal 7.50834 0.01083 0.08570 0.00923 0.00230 0.04705
Halifax 49.48505 0.07139 0.89173 0.05151 0.00753 0.09729
TOTAL
Vancouver 114.77194 0.15746 1.24485 0.13338 0.03343 0.68106 1.59333
Calgary 103.76607 0.14158 1.20639 0.11737 0.02801 0.55536 1.59333
Winnipeg 134.59127 0.18606 1.97667 0.14333 0.02766 0.47614 1.59333
Toronto 97.83858 0.13303 1.05156 0.11256 0.02824 0.57496 1.59333
Montreal 39.67737 0.04912 0.38769 0.04108 0.01038 0.21053 1.59333
Halifax 81.65408 0.10968 1.19372 0.08336 0.01561 0.26077 1.59333
TABLE 7.16 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO PRODUCTION OF READY MIX JOINT

COMPOUND BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION (G/M 2 OF BOARD)
Extraction
Vancouver 0.78997 0.00114 0.00902 0.00097 0.00024 0.00495 0.21106
Calgary 0.78997 0.00114 0.00902 0.00097 0.00024 0.00495 0.21106
Winnipeg 0.78997 0.00114 0.00902 0.00097 0.00024 0.00495 0.21106
Toronto 0.78997 0.00114 0.00902 0.00097 0.00024 0.00495 0.21106
Montreal 0.78997 0.00114 0.00902 0.00097 0.00024 0.00495 0.21106
Halifax 0.78997 0.00114 0.00902 0.00097 0.00024 0.00495 0.21106
Vancouver 40.39577 0.05828 0.46109 0.04965 0.01240 0.25312
Calgary 40.39577 0.05828 0.46109 0.04965 0.01240 0.25312
Winnipeg 35.64583 0.05143 0.40688 0.04381 0.01094 0.22335
Toronto 35.64583 0.05143 0.40688 0.04381 0.01094 0.22335
Montreal 12.30179 0.01775 0.14042 0.01512 0.00378 0.07708
Halifax 12.30179 0.01775 0.14042 0.01512 0.00378 0.07708
Manufacturing
Vancouver 8.59016 0.00692 0.05410 0.00537 0.00143 0.02815 0.86285
Calgary 8.59016 0.00692 0.05410 0.00537 0.00143 0.02815 0.86285
Winnipeg 8.59016 0.00692 0.05410 0.00537 0.00143 0.02815 0.86285
Toronto 8.59016 0.00692 0.05410 0.00537 0.00143 0.02815 0.86285
Montreal 8.59016 0.00692 0.05410 0.00537 0.00143 0.02815 0.86285
Halifax 8.59016 0.00692 0.05410 0.00537 0.00143 0.02815 0.86285
Vancouver 49.77590 0.06634 0.52421 0.05600 0.01407 0.28622 1.07390
Calgary 49.77590 0.06634 0.52421 0.05600 0.01407 0.28622 1.07390
Winnipeg 45.02597 0.05949 0.47000 0.05016 0.01261 0.25646 1.07390
Toronto 45.02597 0.05949 0.47000 0.05016 0.01261 0.25646 1.07390
Montreal 21.68192 0.02581 0.20354 0.02147 0.00545 0.11018 1.07390
Halifax 21.68192 0.02581 0.20354 0.02147 0.00545 0.11018 1.07390
Vancouver 27.58039 0.03979 0.31481 0.03390 0.00847 0.17282
Calgary 20.16243 0.02909 0.28890 0.02311 0.00481 0.08809
Winnipeg 45.68855 0.06592 0.86228 0.04645 0.00604 0.06446
Toronto 20.91723 0.03018 0.23876 0.02571 0.00642 0.13107
Montreal 5.06062 0.00730 0.05776 0.00622 0.00155 0.03171
Halifax 33.35292 0.04812 0.60103 0.03472 0.00507 0.06557
TOTAL
Vancouver 77.35629 0.10613 0.83903 0.08990 0.02253 0.45904 1.07390
Calgary 69.93833 0.09543 0.81311 0.07910 0.01888 0.37431 1.07390
Winnipeg 90.71452 0.12540 1.33227 0.09660 0.01865 0.32092 1.07390
Toronto 65.94320 0.08966 0.70875 0.07587 0.01903 0.38752 1.07390
Montreal 26.74255 0.03311 0.26130 0.02769 0.00700 0.14189 1.07390
Halifax 55.03485 0.07393 0.80457 0.05618 0.01052 0.17576 1.07390
TABLE 7.17 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO PRODUCTION OF SETTING JOINT

COMPOUND BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION (G/KG OF COMPOUND)
Extraction
Vancouver 2.09851 0.00303 0.02395 0.00258 0.00064 0.01315 0.56066
Calgary 2.09851 0.00303 0.02395 0.00258 0.00064 0.01315 0.56066
Winnipeg 2.09851 0.00303 0.02395 0.00258 0.00064 0.01315 0.56066
Toronto 2.09851 0.00303 0.02395 0.00258 0.00064 0.01315 0.56066
Montreal 2.09851 0.00303 0.02395 0.00258 0.00064 0.01315 0.56066
Halifax 2.09851 0.00303 0.02395 0.00258 0.00064 0.01315 0.56066
Vancouver 188.85384 0.27246 2.15566 0.23213 0.05797 1.18334
Calgary 188.85384 0.27246 2.15566 0.23213 0.05797 1.18334
Winnipeg 164.17813 0.23686 2.15585 0.19376 0.04378 0.84526
Toronto 164.17813 0.23686 2.15585 0.19376 0.04378 0.84526
Montreal 141.05640 0.20350 1.89193 0.16535 0.03669 0.70038
Halifax 141.05640 0.20350 1.89193 0.16535 0.03669 0.70038
Manufacturing
Vancouver 51.09884 0.15454 0.18902 0.01514 0.00435 0.08203 4.92157
Calgary 51.09884 0.15454 0.18902 0.01514 0.00435 0.08203 4.92157
Winnipeg 51.09884 0.15454 0.18902 0.01514 0.00435 0.08203 4.92157
Toronto 51.09884 0.15454 0.18902 0.01514 0.00435 0.08203 4.92157
Montreal 51.09884 0.15454 0.18902 0.01514 0.00435 0.08203 4.92157
Halifax 51.09884 0.15454 0.18902 0.01514 0.00435 0.08203 4.92157
Vancouver 242.05119 0.43003 2.36863 0.24985 0.06296 1.27852 5.48223
Calgary 242.05119 0.43003 2.36863 0.24985 0.06296 1.27852 5.48223
Winnipeg 217.37548 0.39443 2.36882 0.21148 0.04878 0.94044 5.48223
Toronto 217.37548 0.39443 2.36882 0.21148 0.04878 0.94044 5.48223
Montreal 194.25375 0.36107 2.10490 0.18306 0.04168 0.79556 5.48223
Halifax 194.25375 0.36107 2.10490 0.18306 0.04168 0.79556 5.48223
Vancouver 40.92045 0.05904 0.46708 0.05030 0.01256 0.25640
Calgary 29.91458 0.04316 0.42863 0.03428 0.00714 0.13070
Winnipeg 67.78716 0.09780 1.27934 0.06891 0.00895 0.09564
Toronto 31.03447 0.04477 0.35424 0.03815 0.00953 0.19446
Montreal 7.50834 0.01083 0.08570 0.00923 0.00230 0.04705
Halifax 49.48505 0.07139 0.89173 0.05151 0.00753 0.09729
TOTAL
Vancouver 282.97164 0.48906 2.83571 0.30014 0.07552 1.53493 5.48223
Calgary 271.96577 0.47318 2.79726 0.28413 0.07010 1.40922 5.48223
Winnipeg 285.16264 0.49222 3.64816 0.28039 0.05773 1.03609 5.48223
Toronto 248.40995 0.43920 2.72306 0.24963 0.05830 1.13490 5.48223
Montreal 201.76209 0.37190 2.19060 0.19229 0.04399 0.84261 5.48223
Halifax 243.73880 0.43246 2.99663 0.23457 0.04921 0.89285 5.48223
TABLE 7.18 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO PRODUCTION OF SETTING JOINT

COMPOUND BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION (G/M 2 OF BOARD)
Extraction
Vancouver 0.73867 0.00107 0.00843 0.00091 0.00023 0.00463 0.19735
Calgary 0.73867 0.00107 0.00843 0.00091 0.00023 0.00463 0.19735
Winnipeg 0.73867 0.00107 0.00843 0.00091 0.00023 0.00463 0.19735
Toronto 0.73867 0.00107 0.00843 0.00091 0.00023 0.00463 0.19735
Montreal 0.73867 0.00107 0.00843 0.00091 0.00023 0.00463 0.19735
Halifax 0.73867 0.00107 0.00843 0.00091 0.00023 0.00463 0.19735
Vancouver 66.47655 0.09591 0.75879 0.08171 0.02040 0.41654
Calgary 66.47655 0.09591 0.75879 0.08171 0.02040 0.41654
Winnipeg 57.79070 0.08338 0.75886 0.06821 0.01541 0.29753
Toronto 57.79070 0.08338 0.75886 0.06821 0.01541 0.29753
Montreal 49.65185 0.07163 0.66596 0.05820 0.01291 0.24653
Halifax 49.65185 0.07163 0.66596 0.05820 0.01291 0.24653
Manufacturing
Vancouver 17.98679 0.05440 0.06653 0.00533 0.00153 0.02888 1.73239
Calgary 17.98679 0.05440 0.06653 0.00533 0.00153 0.02888 1.73239
Winnipeg 17.98679 0.05440 0.06653 0.00533 0.00153 0.02888 1.73239
Toronto 17.98679 0.05440 0.06653 0.00533 0.00153 0.02888 1.73239
Montreal 17.98679 0.05440 0.06653 0.00533 0.00153 0.02888 1.73239
Halifax 17.98679 0.05440 0.06653 0.00533 0.00153 0.02888 1.73239
Vancouver 85.20202 0.15137 0.83376 0.08795 0.02216 0.45004 1.92975
Calgary 85.20202 0.15137 0.83376 0.08795 0.02216 0.45004 1.92975
Winnipeg 76.51617 0.13884 0.83382 0.07444 0.01717 0.33104 1.92975
Toronto 76.51617 0.13884 0.83382 0.07444 0.01717 0.33104 1.92975
Montreal 68.37732 0.12710 0.74092 0.06444 0.01467 0.28004 1.92975
Halifax 68.37732 0.12710 0.74092 0.06444 0.01467 0.28004 1.92975
Vancouver 14.40400 0.02078 0.16441 0.01770 0.00442 0.09025
Calgary 10.52993 0.01519 0.15088 0.01207 0.00251 0.04601
Winnipeg 23.86108 0.03442 0.45033 0.02426 0.00315 0.03367
Toronto 10.92413 0.01576 0.12469 0.01343 0.00335 0.06845
Montreal 2.64294 0.00381 0.03017 0.00325 0.00081 0.01656
Halifax 17.41874 0.02513 0.31389 0.01813 0.00265 0.03424
TOTAL
Vancouver 99.60602 0.17215 0.99817 0.10565 0.02658 0.54029 1.92975
Calgary 95.73195 0.16656 0.98463 0.10001 0.02467 0.49605 1.92975
Winnipeg 100.37725 0.17326 1.28415 0.09870 0.02032 0.36470 1.92975
Toronto 87.44030 0.15460 0.95852 0.08787 0.02052 0.39949 1.92975
Montreal 71.02025 0.13091 0.77109 0.06769 0.01548 0.29660 1.92975
Halifax 85.79606 0.15223 1.05482 0.08257 0.01732 0.31428 1.92975
TABLE 7.19 ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS DUE TO PRODUCTION OF JOINT PAPER

TAPE BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION (KG/TONNE OF PAPER)

Vancouver 95.77022 0.13817 1.09316 0.11771 0.02939 0.60009
Calgary 95.77022 0.13817 1.09316 0.11771 0.02939 0.60009
Winnipeg 75.14703 0.10842 0.85776 0.09237 0.02306 0.47086
Toronto 75.14703 0.10842 0.85776 0.09237 0.02306 0.47086
Montreal 88.27645 0.13034 1.00202 0.11084 0.02725 0.54916
Halifax 88.27645 0.13034 1.00202 0.11084 0.02725 0.54916
Manufacturing
Vancouver 621.95279 0.51387 0.78241 0.01570 0.01559 0.18287 0.30000
Calgary 621.95279 0.51387 0.78241 0.01570 0.01559 0.18287 0.30000
Winnipeg 621.95279 0.51387 0.78241 0.01570 0.01559 0.18287 0.30000
Toronto 621.95279 0.51387 0.78241 0.01570 0.01559 0.18287 0.30000
Montreal 621.95279 0.51387 0.78241 0.01570 0.01559 0.18287 0.30000
Halifax 621.95279 0.51387 0.78241 0.01570 0.01559 0.18287 0.30000
Vancouver 717.72301 0.65204 1.87557 0.13341 0.04498 0.78295 0.30000
Calgary 717.72301 0.65204 1.87557 0.13341 0.04498 0.78295 0.30000
Winnipeg 697.09982 0.62228 1.64017 0.10806 0.03865 0.65373 0.30000
Toronto 697.09982 0.62228 1.64017 0.10806 0.03865 0.65373 0.30000
Montreal 710.22924 0.64421 1.78442 0.12654 0.04283 0.73203 0.30000
Halifax 710.22924 0.64421 1.78442 0.12654 0.04283 0.73203 0.30000
Finished Materials Transport
Vancouver 40.92045 0.05904 0.46708 0.05030 0.01256 0.25640
Calgary 29.91458 0.04316 0.42863 0.03428 0.00714 0.13070
Winnipeg 67.78716 0.09780 1.27934 0.06891 0.00895 0.09564
Toronto 31.03447 0.04477 0.35424 0.03815 0.00953 0.19446
Montreal 7.50834 0.01083 0.08570 0.00923 0.00230 0.04705
Halifax 49.48505 0.07139 0.89173 0.05151 0.00753 0.09729
TOTAL
Vancouver 758.64346 0.71107 2.34265 0.18371 0.05754 1.03936 0.30000
Calgary 747.63759 0.69519 2.30420 0.16770 0.05212 0.91365 0.30000
Winnipeg 764.88698 0.72008 2.91951 0.17697 0.04761 0.74938 0.30000
Toronto 728.13429 0.66706 1.99441 0.14621 0.04818 0.84819 0.30000
Montreal 717.73758 0.65504 1.87013 0.13577 0.04514 0.77908 0.30000
Halifax 759.71429 0.71560 2.67616 0.17805 0.05036 0.82932 0.30000

TAPE BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION (G/METER OF TAPE)

Vancouver 1.17430 0.00169 0.01340 0.00144 0.00036 0.00736
Calgary 1.17430 0.00169 0.01340 0.00144 0.00036 0.00736
Winnipeg 0.92142 0.00133 0.01052 0.00113 0.00028 0.00577
Toronto 0.92142 0.00133 0.01052 0.00113 0.00028 0.00577
Montreal 1.08241 0.00160 0.01229 0.00136 0.00033 0.00673
Halifax 1.08241 0.00160 0.01229 0.00136 0.00033 0.00673
Manufacturing
Vancouver 7.62614 0.00630 0.00959 0.00019 0.00019 0.00224 0.00368
Calgary 7.62614 0.00630 0.00959 0.00019 0.00019 0.00224 0.00368
Winnipeg 7.62614 0.00630 0.00959 0.00019 0.00019 0.00224 0.00368
Toronto 7.62614 0.00630 0.00959 0.00019 0.00019 0.00224 0.00368
Montreal 7.62614 0.00630 0.00959 0.00019 0.00019 0.00224 0.00368
Halifax 7.62614 0.00630 0.00959 0.00019 0.00019 0.00224 0.00368
Vancouver 8.80043 0.00799 0.02300 0.00164 0.00055 0.00960 0.00368
Calgary 8.80043 0.00799 0.02300 0.00164 0.00055 0.00960 0.00368
Winnipeg 8.54756 0.00763 0.02011 0.00133 0.00047 0.00802 0.00368
Toronto 8.54756 0.00763 0.02011 0.00133 0.00047 0.00802 0.00368
Montreal 8.70855 0.00790 0.02188 0.00155 0.00053 0.00898 0.00368
Halifax 8.70855 0.00790 0.02188 0.00155 0.00053 0.00898 0.00368
Vancouver 0.50175 0.00072 0.00573 0.00062 0.00015 0.00314
Calgary 0.36680 0.00053 0.00526 0.00042 0.00009 0.00160
Winnipeg 0.83118 0.00120 0.01569 0.00084 0.00011 0.00117
Toronto 0.38053 0.00055 0.00434 0.00047 0.00012 0.00238
Montreal 0.09206 0.00013 0.00105 0.00011 0.00003 0.00058
Halifax 0.60677 0.00088 0.01093 0.00063 0.00009 0.00119
TOTAL
Vancouver 9.30218 0.00872 0.02872 0.00225 0.00071 0.01274 0.00368
Calgary 9.16723 0.00852 0.02825 0.00206 0.00064 0.01120 0.00368
Winnipeg 9.37874 0.00883 0.03580 0.00217 0.00058 0.00919 0.00368
Toronto 8.92809 0.00818 0.02445 0.00179 0.00059 0.01040 0.00368
Montreal 8.80061 0.00803 0.02293 0.00166 0.00055 0.00955 0.00368
Halifax 9.31531 0.00877 0.03281 0.00218 0.00062 0.01017 0.00368

TAPE BY PROCESS STAGE AND REGION (G/M 2 OF BOARD)

Vancouver 1.15081 0.00166 0.01314 0.00141 0.00035 0.00721
Calgary 1.15081 0.00166 0.01314 0.00141 0.00035 0.00721
Winnipeg 0.90299 0.00130 0.01031 0.00111 0.00028 0.00566
Toronto 0.90299 0.00130 0.01031 0.00111 0.00028 0.00566
Montreal 1.06076 0.00157 0.01204 0.00133 0.00033 0.00660
Halifax 1.06076 0.00157 0.01204 0.00133 0.00033 0.00660
Manufacturing
Vancouver 7.47361 0.00617 0.00940 0.00019 0.00019 0.00220 0.00360
Calgary 7.47361 0.00617 0.00940 0.00019 0.00019 0.00220 0.00360
Winnipeg 7.47361 0.00617 0.00940 0.00019 0.00019 0.00220 0.00360
Toronto 7.47361 0.00617 0.00940 0.00019 0.00019 0.00220 0.00360
Montreal 7.47361 0.00617 0.00940 0.00019 0.00019 0.00220 0.00360
Halifax 7.47361 0.00617 0.00940 0.00019 0.00019 0.00220 0.00360
Vancouver 8.62442 0.00784 0.02254 0.00160 0.00054 0.00941 0.00360
Calgary 8.62442 0.00784 0.02254 0.00160 0.00054 0.00941 0.00360
Winnipeg 8.37661 0.00748 0.01971 0.00130 0.00046 0.00786 0.00360
Toronto 8.37661 0.00748 0.01971 0.00130 0.00046 0.00786 0.00360
Montreal 8.53438 0.00774 0.02144 0.00152 0.00051 0.00880 0.00360
Halifax 8.53438 0.00774 0.02144 0.00152 0.00051 0.00880 0.00360
Vancouver 0.49172 0.00071 0.00561 0.00060 0.00015 0.00308
Calgary 0.35946 0.00052 0.00515 0.00041 0.00009 0.00157
Winnipeg 0.81456 0.00118 0.01537 0.00083 0.00011 0.00115
Toronto 0.37292 0.00054 0.00426 0.00046 0.00011 0.00234
Montreal 0.09022 0.00013 0.00103 0.00011 0.00003 0.00057
Halifax 0.59463 0.00086 0.01072 0.00062 0.00009 0.00117
TOTAL
Vancouver 9.11614 0.00854 0.02815 0.00221 0.00069 0.01249 0.00360
Calgary 8.98389 0.00835 0.02769 0.00202 0.00063 0.01098 0.00360
Winnipeg 9.19116 0.00865 0.03508 0.00213 0.00057 0.00900 0.00360
Toronto 8.74953 0.00802 0.02397 0.00176 0.00058 0.01019 0.00360
Montreal 8.62460 0.00787 0.02247 0.00163 0.00054 0.00936 0.00360
Halifax 9.12901 0.00860 0.03216 0.00214 0.00061 0.00997 0.00360
REFERENCES
1. “Emission Factors for Greenhouse and Other Gases by Fuel Type: An Inventory”, Energy,
Mines and Resources Canada, Ad Hoc Committee on Emissions Factors, December 1990.
3. “A Nationwide Inventory of Emissions of Air Contaminants”, Environment Canada, Report
EPS 3-EP-83-10, December 1983.
4. “Metals Mining and Milling Process Profiles with Environmental Aspects, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA-600/2-76-167, Washington, USA, 1976.
5. “Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors”, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA AP-42, 4th edition, Research Triangle Park, NC, September 1985.
8.0 LIQUID EFFLUENTS

This section addresses liquid effluents associated with gypsum board production, namely in its raw
materials extraction and manufacturing stages. The gypsum board manufacturing process itself
generates hardly any process effluent. While a large amount of water is mixed with gypsum stucco
to prepare slurry, in the case of 1/2" regular gypsum board, for example, representing about 44% of
the total raw materials weight, this water is partially chemically bonded in the re-hydration of
calcium sulfate hemihydrate back to calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the rest of the “water of
convenience” driven off during the drying process. However, gypsum board plants do use some
water to clean equipment and yards. In addition, rainwater washes away gypsum dust into
containment areas and this “gypsum board plant” effluent is regularly discharged. As a result,
some plant liquid effluents are associated with the gypsum board production and associated
operations despite the absence of process effluents. While perhaps negligible in comparison to the
atmospheric emissions, these effluents should not be ignored.
Furthermore, gypsum board raw materials extraction and preparation is associated with effluent
discharges. Mining or quarrying of gypsum rock generates regular and often fairly substantial
volumes of “minewater” or “quarry effluent”. Sudden storms can also create “stormwater
effluent” at quarries. Preparation of a commercial grade by-product gypsum often requires
additional washing of the “gypsum cake” that would not be necessary if the by-product were
stacked or landfilled. The paper manufacturing process is well known to use large volumes of
water, although modern near “zero discharge” paper-making operations have reduced the amount
of effluent drastically.
We were not able to find any information or references in the literature regarding liquid effluents
associated with gypsum operations. However, we were able to obtain some detailed monitoring data
from the Water Resources Branch of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Energy from
their MISA program1, as well as some additional limited information of similar numbers from the
Nova Scotia Department of the Environment.2 Further valuable data were supplied by the Greater
Vancouver Regional Authority3 and Ontario Hydro.4
8.1 LIQUID EFFLUENT ESTIMATES - GYPSUM BOARD

The detailed MOEE information on “minewater” effluent characteristics both in grams per liter of
discharge, as well as annual loading in kilograms per year, are summarized in Table 8.1. These
numbers represent weighted averages of four mining operations. Cursory comparison with limited
data from Nova Scotia quarries indicate that “quarry effluent” is fairly similar to the “minewater”,
and therefore in the absence of more detailed information from various quarries across the country,
we will use the Ontario data as representative of gypsum mines and quarries for all regions. Also
shown in table 6.1 are the monitoring data representing FGD blowdown wastewater treated effluent
from sand filters at the Ontario Hydro’s Lambton Generating Station before discharging into the
equalization ponds. We are assuming that effluent from other by-product gypsum washing would
have similar characteristics.
TABLE 8.1 GYPSUM EXTRACTION LIQUID EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTICS 1,2,4
Natural gypsum FGD gypsum

treated effluent from sand filters
minewater before discharge to equalization
pond
weighted weighted avg. average average
average annual loading annual loading
Flow [m3/day] 199 - 4010 300

Hydrogen ion [pH] 7.78 - 7.94
Specific conductance [microS/cm] 1600 - 3100
[mg/L] [kg/yr] [mg/L] [kg/yr]
Total suspended solids 28.378 31207.94

Aluminum 0.672 891.33 0.050 5.48
Zinc 0.008 10.70 0.015 1.64
Phenolics 0.002 0.41 0.001 0.11
Sulfide 0.017 6.29 0.002 0.22
Oil & grease 1.034 1085.62
Ammonia & ammonium 0.358 315.16 4.280 468.66
Nitrate & nitrite 2.686 2622.88
Dissolved Organic Compounds (DOC) 3.615 2781.66
Chlorides 42.282 34497.04
Sulfates 1044.831 1157168.98
Taking then into consideration the relative use of natural, by-product, and recycled gypsum (see
Table 3.3 in Section 3) in the respective region of the country, Table 8.2 shows, as an example,
weighted average effluent loading due to the gypsum extraction by region in g/m2 of 1/2" regular
gypsum board. (Data for other types of gypsum board are shown in the summary of this section.)
TABLE 8.2 WEIGHTED AVERAGE EFFLUENT LOADING DUE TO GYPSUM

EXTRACTION BY REGION (G/M 2 OF 1/2" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD)

(Vancouver, Calgary) Winnipeg, Toronto) (Montreal, Halifax)
Total suspended solids 0.25371 0.25028 0.23834

Aluminum 0.00725 0.00749 0.00726
Zinc 0.00009 0.00019 0.00022
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00001 0.00001
Sulfide 0.00005 0.00006 0.00007
Oil & grease 0.00883 0.00871 0.00829
Ammonia & ammonium 0.00256 0.03182 0.04120
Nitrate & nitrite 0.02132 0.02103 0.02003
Dissolved Organic Compounds (DOC) 0.02261 0.02231 0.02124
Chlorides 0.28045 0.27666 0.26346
Sulfates 9.40744 9.28019 8.83755

In developing estimates for effluents associated with gypsum board manufacturing, two parts of the
process have to be factored in:
• gypsum paper production, and

• manufacturing of gypsum board itself.
Table 6.3 provides average characteristics of gypsum paper producing mill effluent. Major effluent
categories are expressed in both milligrams per liter as well as in kg per day, taking average effluent
flow at the time of monitoring sampling into account. To be able to provide, later, effluent loading
per area of gypsum board, Table 8.3 also shows effluent estimates expressed in grams per tonne of
finished paper. In our calculations, it was assumed that a paper mill operates six days a week, 52
weeks a year, for a total of 312 days per year.
Liquid effluent generated in gypsum board manufacturing operations and its characteristics are
shown in Table 8.4. These estimates represent weighted averages of a number of Ontario
operations, and due to the general similarities of gypsum board plants across the industry, it will be
assumed that it is representative of all Canadian gypsum board plants.
TABLE 8.3 GYPSUM PAPER PLANT LIQUID EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTICS 3,1
Gypsum Paper Production

(averages)
Flow [m3/day] 203.00

Specific conductance [microS/cm] 362.60
[mg/L] [kg/day] [g/tonne of paper]

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) 270.70 55.00 321.25807
Aluminum 1.38 0.27 1.57709
Zinc 0.36 0.07 0.40887
Iron 2.14 0.45 2.62848
Copper 1.07 0.24 1.40185
Boron 1.72 0.34 1.98596
Cyanides 0.10 0.00 0.00000
Oil & grease 13.50 2.80 16.35496
Manganese 0.12 0.02 0.11682
Lead 0.02 0.00 0.00000
Molybdenum 0.01 0.00 0.00000
Nickel 0.01 0.00 0.00000
Silver 0.01 0.00 0.00000
Cobalt 0.00 0.00 0.00000
Cadmium 0.00 0.00 0.00000
Chromium 0.01 0.00 0.00000
TABLE 8.4 GYPSUM BOARD PLANT LIQUID EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTICS 1
Gypsum Board Plant

(weighted averages)
annual loading
Flow [m3/day] 4330 - 5500
Specific conductance [microS/cm] 2050 - 2500
[mg/L] [kg/yr]

Aluminum 0.32 923.51
Zinc 0.00 0.00
Phenolics 0.00 0.00
Sulfide 0.05 134.92
Oil & grease 0.76 1376.26
Ammonia & ammonium 0.40 397.22
Chlorides 41.39 84293.61
Sulfates 1219.60 1156065.79
From the manufacturing effluent monitoring data shown in Tables 8.3 and 8.4, unit factors for
effluent loading expressed in grams per square meter of gypsum board can be estimated. In the
development of these estimates, paper content in various types of gypsum boards was taken into
consideration (see Table 3.1 in Section 3). As an example, weighted average effluent loading due to
gypsum board manufacturing steps for 1/2" regular gypsum board is shown in Table 8.5.
The manufacturing effluent estimates can be combined with those for the raw materials extraction
effluent to yield total effluent loading per m2 of 1/2" regular gypsum board, as shown in Table 8.6
below. Similar effluent estimates for other types of gypsum board are shown in the summary of
this section.
TABLE 8.5 WEIGHTED AVERAGE EFFLUENT LOADING DUE TO GYPSUM BOARD

MANUFACTURING (G/M 2 OF 1/2" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD)
Paper Gypsum board Total

manufacturing manufacturing manufacturing

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) 0.15148 0.15148
Aluminum 0.00074 0.00868 0.00942
Zinc 0.00019 0.00000 0.00019
Iron 0.00124 0.00124
Copper 0.00066 0.00066
Boron 0.00094 0.00094
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00000
Sulfide 0.00127 0.00127
Cyanides 0.00000 0.00000
Oil & grease 0.00771 0.01293 0.02065
Chlorides 0.79223 0.79223
Sulfates 10.86528 10.86528
TABLE 8.6 TOTAL WEIGHTED AVERAGE EFFLUENT LOADING DUE TO GYPSUM

BOARD PRODUCTION (G/M 2 OF 1/2" REGULAR GYPSUM BOARD)

(Vancouver, Calgary) Winnipeg, Toronto) (Montreal, Halifax)

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) 0.15148 0.15148 0.15148
Aluminum 0.01667 0.01691 0.01668
Zinc 0.00028 0.00038 0.00041
Iron 0.00124 0.00124 0.00124
Copper 0.00066 0.00066 0.00066
Boron 0.00094 0.00094 0.00094
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00001 0.00001
Sulfide 0.00132 0.00133 0.00133
Oil & grease 0.02947 0.02935 0.02894
Ammonia & ammonium 0.00630 0.03555 0.04493
Nitrate & nitrite 0.03806 0.03777 0.03677
Dissolved Organic Compounds (DOC) 0.08819 0.08788 0.08682
Chlorides 1.07268 1.06889 1.05569
Sulfates 20.27272 20.14547 19.70283
8.2 LIQUID EFFLUENT - GYPSUM BOARD SUMMARY

Effluent estimates associated with the extraction and manufacturing stages, as well as total effluent
unit factors for all ten different types of gypsum boards considered in this study, are summarized in
Tables 8.7 to 8.11.
8.3 LIQUID EFFLUENT ESTIMATES - FINISHING PRODUCTS

8.3.1 Joint Compounds
According to joint compounds manufacturers, there is no liquid effluent associated with the
production of either ready mix or setting (dry) joint compounds. Although water is used as a major
component of the ready mix compounds, as the manufacturing process operates as a closed loop
system, no liquid waste is generated.
Consequently, the only liquid effluent associated with the joint compounds is generated in the
extraction (open pit mining) of industrial minerals used as raw materials in their production.
Mine/quarry water characteristics for natural gypsum were shown in Table 8.1 above, and we will
assume the same effluent characteristics also for gypsum used for production of gypsum plaster for
setting compounds. For the effluent parameters of other industrial minerals used in joint
compounds, mainly calcium carbonate (limestone), we used the numbers provided by the “Water
Resources Branch of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Energy”,5 and used in the
“Cement and Structural Concrete Products” part of the ATHENATM Sustainable Development
Project.6 We will assume that mica, talc and clay have the same effluent loading as limestone.
Table 8.11 shows the relevant effluent characteristics for gypsum and limestone quarry water,
expressed both in g/mL and in g/tonne of a mineral.
Gypsum and limestone quarry effluent loadings from Table 8.11 were combined with joint
compounds formulations as shown in Tables 3.6 for ready mix compound and 3.7 for the setting
compound to provide the unit factor estimates for effluent loadings associated with these two types
of joint finishing compounds. The results are shown in Table 8.12, expressed in both grams per kg
of compound and grams per m2 of board.
8.3.2 Joint Paper Tape

As noted earlier, joint paper tape is produced from the same recycled paper stock as paper for
gypsum board facings. Liquid effluent generated in the manufacturing of gypsum paper was
discussed in detail above, in Section 8.1.2 (Table 8.3). In this subsection, we will use the same
paper effluent data as derived there, but in addition to mg/L and kg/tonne of paper units we will
express the liquid effluent also in grams per lineal meter of tape and grams per m2 of gypsum
board (Table 8.13).

PRODUCTION BY PROCESS STAGE (G/M 2 ) - 1/2" REGULAR & TYPE X
1/2" Regular Gypsum Board 1/2" Type X Gypsum Board

West Central East West Central East
Gypsum Extraction
Total suspended solids 0.25371 0.25028 0.23834 0.25259 0.24917 0.23729

Aluminum 0.00725 0.00749 0.00726 0.00721 0.00746 0.00723
Zinc 0.00009 0.00019 0.00022 0.00009 0.00019 0.00022
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00001 0.00001 0.00000 0.00001 0.00001
Sulfide 0.00005 0.00006 0.00007 0.00005 0.00006 0.00007
Oil & grease 0.00883 0.00871 0.00829 0.00879 0.00867 0.00825
Ammonia & ammonium 0.00256 0.03182 0.04120 0.00255 0.03168 0.04102
Nitrate & nitrite 0.02132 0.02103 0.02003 0.02123 0.02094 0.01994
DOC 0.02261 0.02231 0.02124 0.02251 0.02221 0.02115
Chlorides 0.28045 0.27666 0.26346 0.27921 0.27544 0.26230
Sulfates 9.40744 9.28019 8.83755 9.36588 9.23920 8.79851
Paper and Gypsum Board Production
BOD 0.15148 0.14480
Aluminum 0.00942 0.00935
Zinc 0.00019 0.00018
Iron 0.00124 0.00118
Copper 0.00066 0.00063
Boron 0.00094 0.00090
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00000
Sulfide 0.00127 0.00126
Oil & grease 0.02065 0.02025
DOC 0.06557 0.06528
Chlorides 0.79223 0.78873
Sulfates 10.86528 10.81728
TOTAL EFFLUENT
BOD 0.15148 0.15148 0.15148 0.14480 0.14480 0.14480
Aluminum 0.01667 0.01691 0.01668 0.01657 0.01681 0.01658
Zinc 0.00028 0.00038 0.00041 0.00027 0.00037 0.00040
Iron 0.00124 0.00124 0.00124 0.00118 0.00118 0.00118
Copper 0.00066 0.00066 0.00066 0.00063 0.00063 0.00063
Boron 0.00094 0.00094 0.00094 0.00090 0.00090 0.00090
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00001 0.00001 0.00000 0.00001 0.00001
Sulfide 0.00132 0.00133 0.00133 0.00131 0.00133 0.00133
Oil & grease 0.02947 0.02935 0.02894 0.02904 0.02892 0.02850
Nitrate & nitrite 0.03806 0.03777 0.03677 0.03789 0.03760 0.03660
DOC 0.08819 0.08788 0.08682 0.08780 0.08749 0.08643
Chlorides 1.07268 1.06889 1.05569 1.06795 1.06417 1.05103
Sulfates 20.27272 20.14547 19.70283 20.18316 20.05648 19.61579

PRODUCTION BY PROCESS STAGE (G/M 2 ) - 1/2" MR & 5/8" REGULAR
1/2" Moisture Resistant Board 5/8" Regular Gypsum Board

Gypsum Extraction

Aluminum 0.00795 0.00821 0.00796 0.00946 0.00978 0.00948
Zinc 0.00010 0.00021 0.00024 0.00011 0.00025 0.00028
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00001 0.00001 0.00000 0.00001 0.00002
Sulfide 0.00006 0.00007 0.00007 0.00007 0.00008 0.00009
Oil & grease 0.00968 0.00955 0.00909 0.01152 0.01137 0.01083
Nitrate & nitrite 0.02338 0.02307 0.02197 0.02784 0.02747 0.02616
DOC 0.02480 0.02446 0.02330 0.02953 0.02913 0.02774
Chlorides 0.30754 0.30338 0.28891 0.36619 0.36124 0.34401
Sulfates 10.31623 10.17670 9.69130 12.28350 12.11735 11.53939
BOD 0.15573 0.15335
Aluminum 0.01028 0.01209
Zinc 0.00020 0.00020
Iron 0.00127 0.00125
Copper 0.00068 0.00067
Boron 0.00096 0.00095
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00000
Sulfide 0.00139 0.00166
Oil & grease 0.02211 0.02470
DOC 0.07191 0.08562
Chlorides 0.86877 1.03444
Sulfates 11.91491 14.18704
TOTAL EFFLUENT
BOD 0.15573 0.15573 0.15573 0.15335 0.15335 0.15335
Aluminum 0.01823 0.01850 0.01824 0.02155 0.02187 0.02157
Zinc 0.00029 0.00040 0.00044 0.00031 0.00044 0.00048
Iron 0.00127 0.00127 0.00127 0.00125 0.00125 0.00125
Copper 0.00068 0.00068 0.00068 0.00067 0.00067 0.00067
Boron 0.00096 0.00096 0.00096 0.00095 0.00095 0.00095
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00001 0.00001 0.00000 0.00001 0.00002
Sulfide 0.00145 0.00146 0.00146 0.00172 0.00174 0.00174
Oil & grease 0.03179 0.03166 0.03120 0.03622 0.03606 0.03552
Nitrate & nitrite 0.04174 0.04142 0.04032 0.04969 0.04932 0.04801
DOC 0.09671 0.09637 0.09520 0.11515 0.11475 0.11336
Chlorides 1.17631 1.17215 1.15768 1.40063 1.39567 1.37844
Sulfates 22.23115 22.09161 21.60621 26.47054 26.30439 25.72643

PRODUCTION BY PROCESS STAGE (G/M 2 ) - 5/8" TYPE X AND MR
5/8" Type X Gypsum Board 5/8" Moisture Resistant Board

Gypsum Extraction

Aluminum 0.00960 0.00992 0.00962 0.01019 0.01053 0.01021
Zinc 0.00012 0.00025 0.00029 0.00012 0.00026 0.00031
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00001 0.00002 0.00000 0.00001 0.00002
Sulfide 0.00007 0.00008 0.00009 0.00007 0.00009 0.00009
Oil & grease 0.01169 0.01153 0.01098 0.01241 0.01224 0.01166
Nitrate & nitrite 0.02824 0.02786 0.02653 0.02998 0.02958 0.02817
DOC 0.02995 0.02954 0.02813 0.03180 0.03137 0.02987
Chlorides 0.37140 0.36638 0.34890 0.39432 0.38899 0.37044
Sulfates 12.45831 12.28980 11.70361 13.22720 13.04829 12.42592
BOD 0.14935 0.16288
Aluminum 0.01223 0.01300
Zinc 0.00019 0.00021
Iron 0.00122 0.00133
Copper 0.00065 0.00071
Boron 0.00092 0.00101
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00000
Sulfide 0.00168 0.00178
Oil & grease 0.02473 0.02648
DOC 0.08684 0.09220
Chlorides 1.04916 1.11391
Sulfates 14.38894 15.27698
TOTAL EFFLUENT
BOD 0.14935 0.14935 0.14935 0.16288 0.16288 0.16288
Aluminum 0.02182 0.02215 0.02184 0.02319 0.02354 0.02321
Zinc 0.00031 0.00044 0.00048 0.00033 0.00047 0.00051
Iron 0.00122 0.00122 0.00122 0.00133 0.00133 0.00133
Copper 0.00065 0.00065 0.00065 0.00071 0.00071 0.00071
Boron 0.00092 0.00092 0.00092 0.00101 0.00101 0.00101
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00001 0.00002 0.00000 0.00001 0.00002
Sulfide 0.00175 0.00176 0.00177 0.00185 0.00187 0.00188
Oil & grease 0.03642 0.03626 0.03571 0.03889 0.03872 0.03814
Nitrate & nitrite 0.05040 0.05002 0.04869 0.05351 0.05311 0.05170
DOC 0.11679 0.11638 0.11497 0.12399 0.12356 0.12207
Chlorides 1.42056 1.41554 1.39806 1.50823 1.50290 1.48435
Sulfates 26.84725 26.67873 26.09255 28.50418 28.32527 27.70291

PRODUCTION BY PROCESS STAGE (G/M 2 ) - 5/16" MH AND 1" SL
5/16" Mobile Home Board 1" Shaftliner

Gypsum Extraction

Aluminum 0.00509 0.00526 0.00510 0.01785 0.01845 0.01788
Zinc 0.00006 0.00013 0.00015 0.00021 0.00046 0.00054
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00001 0.00001 0.00001 0.00002 0.00003
Sulfide 0.00004 0.00005 0.00005 0.00013 0.00016 0.00016
Oil & grease 0.00620 0.00611 0.00582 0.02174 0.02144 0.02042
Nitrate & nitrite 0.01497 0.01477 0.01407 0.05252 0.05181 0.04934
DOC 0.01588 0.01566 0.01492 0.05570 0.05494 0.05232
Chlorides 0.19692 0.19426 0.18499 0.69075 0.68140 0.64890
Sulfates 6.60561 6.51627 6.20546 23.17045 22.85705 21.76683
BOD 0.15699 0.15699
Aluminum 0.00687 0.02215
Zinc 0.00020 0.00020
Iron 0.00128 0.00128
Copper 0.00069 0.00069
Boron 0.00097 0.00097
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00000
Sulfide 0.00089 0.00312
Oil & grease 0.01707 0.03985
DOC 0.04604 0.16151
Chlorides 0.55628 1.95126
Sulfates 7.62927 26.76111
TOTAL EFFLUENT
BOD 0.15699 0.15699 0.15699 0.15699 0.15699 0.15699
Aluminum 0.01195 0.01212 0.01196 0.04000 0.04060 0.04003
Zinc 0.00026 0.00033 0.00035 0.00041 0.00066 0.00074
Iron 0.00128 0.00128 0.00128 0.00128 0.00128 0.00128
Copper 0.00069 0.00069 0.00069 0.00069 0.00069 0.00069
Boron 0.00097 0.00097 0.00097 0.00097 0.00097 0.00097
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00001 0.00001 0.00001 0.00002 0.00003
Sulfide 0.00093 0.00094 0.00094 0.00325 0.00328 0.00329
Oil & grease 0.02327 0.02319 0.02290 0.06159 0.06129 0.06027
Nitrate & nitrite 0.02672 0.02652 0.02582 0.09374 0.09303 0.09056
DOC 0.06192 0.06171 0.06096 0.21720 0.21645 0.21383
Chlorides 0.75321 0.75054 0.74128 2.64201 2.63267 2.60017
Sulfates 14.23488 14.14553 13.83473 49.93156 49.61816 48.52794

PRODUCTION BY PROCESS STAGE (G/M 2 ) - 1/2" AND 5/8" GFB
1/2" Gypsum Fiberboard 5/8" Gypsum Fiberboard

East East
Gypsum Extraction

Aluminum 0.00931 0.01155
Zinc 0.00011 0.00014
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00001
Sulfide 0.00007 0.00008
Oil & grease 0.01134 0.01407
DOC 0.02906 0.03606
Chlorides 0.36038 0.44716
Sulfates 12.08843 14.99940
GFB Production
BOD 0.00000 0.00000
Aluminum 0.01115 0.01384
Zinc 0.00000 0.00000
Iron 0.00000 0.00000
Copper 0.00000 0.00000
Boron 0.00000 0.00000
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00000
Sulfide 0.00163 0.00202
Oil & grease 0.01662 0.02062
DOC 0.08426 0.10455
Chlorides 1.01801 1.26315
Sulfates 13.96174 17.32381
TOTAL EFFLUENT
BOD 0.00000 0.00000
Aluminum 0.02046 0.02539
Zinc 0.00011 0.00014
Iron 0.00000 0.00000
Copper 0.00000 0.00000
Boron 0.00000 0.00000
Phenolics 0.00000 0.00001
Sulfide 0.00170 0.00210
Oil & grease 0.02796 0.03470
DOC 0.11332 0.14061
Chlorides 1.37838 1.71031
Sulfates 26.05017 32.32321
TABLE 8.12 WEIGHTED AVERAGE EFFLUENT LOADING DUE TO GYPSUM AND

LIMESTONE EXTRACTION
Gypsum mine/quarry water Limestone quarry water
[mg/L of g/tonne of [mg/L of g/tonne of

effluent] gypsum effluent] CaCO3
Total suspended solids [TSS] 24.22 29.04387 103.70 80.17464

Aluminum 0.57 0.82952 0.76 0.26055
Zinc 0.01 0.00996 0.00 0.02077
Phenolics 0.00 0.00038 0.01 0.00713
Sulfide 0.01 0.00585 0.04 0.04669
Oil & grease 0.88 1.01034 1.77 2.19849
Nitrate & nitrite 2.29 2.44100 2.90 3.38014
Dissolved organic compounds [DOC] 3.08 2.58877 2.49 3.73075
Chlorides 36.08 32.10489 1290.03 449.11891
Sulfates 891.55 1076.92658 217.71 261.46478
TABLE 8.13 AVERAGE EFFLUENT LOADING DUE TO JOINT COMPOUNDS

PRODUCTION
Ready Mix Compounds Setting Compounds
[g/kg of [g/m 2 of [g/kg of [g/m 2 of

compound] board] compound] board]
Total suspended solids [TSS] 0.049227 0.033179 0.058261 0.020508

Aluminum 0.000160 0.000108 0.000619 0.000218
Zinc 0.000013 0.000009 0.000017 0.000006
Phenolics 0.000004 0.000003 0.000004 0.000001
Sulfide 0.000029 0.000019 0.000027 0.000010
Oil & grease 0.001350 0.000910 0.001723 0.000606
Nitrate & nitrite 0.002075 0.001399 0.003167 0.001115
Dissolved organic compounds [DOC] 0.002291 0.001544 0.003434 0.001209
Chlorides 0.275759 0.185862 0.250056 0.088020
Sulfates 0.160539 0.108204 0.763933 0.268904
TABLE 8.14 AVERAGE EFFLUENT LOADING DUE TO PAPER JOINT TAPE

PRODUCTION
Flow [m3/day] 203.00

Conductance [microS/cm] 362.60
[mg/L] [kg/day] [g/tonne [g/meter of [g/m2 of

of paper] tape] board]
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) 270.70 55.00 321.25807 0.003939 0.003860

Total suspended solids [TSS] 243.40 46.30 270.44089 0.003316 0.003250
Oil&grease 13.50 2.80 16.35496 0.000201 0.000197
Aluminum 1.38 0.27 1.57709 0.000019 0.000019
Boron 1.72 0.34 1.98596 0.000024 0.000024
Copper 1.07 0.24 1.40185 0.000017 0.000017
Iron 2.14 0.45 2.62848 0.000032 0.000032
Manganese 0.12 0.02 0.11682 0.000001 0.000001
Zinc 0.36 0.07 0.40887 0.000005 0.000005
REFERENCES
1. Communication from S. Wong / K. Donyina, Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy
(MOEE), re. MISA water effluent discharge data for gypsum plants in Ontario, February 7,
1996.
2. Communication from B. Matlock, Nova Scotia Department of the Environment, February 22,
1996.
3. Communication from M. de Spot, Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), March 4,
1996.
4. Communication from R.S. Daly, Ontario Hydro, February 27, 1996.
5. Communication from G. Rees, Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy (MOEE), re.
MISA water effluent discharge data for cement plants in Ontario, April 19, 1993.
6. “Building Materials in the Context of Sustainable Development - Raw Material Balances,
Energy Profiles and Cement and Structural Concrete Products”, CANMET and Radian
Canada Inc. for Forintek Canada Corp., February 1994, pp. 36-37.
9.0 SOLID WASTES

In this section we discuss solid wastes associated with gypsum board and related materials. The
gypsum board industry generates remarkably little solid waste. The only production stage where
the gypsum board industry generates some measurable solid wastes, as any other industry that
mines and quarries its raw materials, is from the raw materials extraction. Essentially, all the waste
generated in the manufacturing stage is internally recycled back as raw materials or used as sleutters
to support gypsum board pallets.
To balance the picture, the growing trend in using by-product gypsum as a replacement for
mined/quarried gypsum, as well as the beneficial role of the board industry in recycling and reuse
of collected construction gypsum board waste are discussed.
9.1 SOLID WASTES ESTIMATES - GYPSUM BOARD

Overburden, top soil, and subsoil have to be removed before a new quarry can commence operation.
The soil used to be resold, but in modern operations it is stockpiled for eventual quarry reclamation
and is not considered waste. In general, quarrying and mining operations can create large amounts
of mine spoil — rock material that is not used, but is moved to get to the desired mineral resource.
Mine spoils are usually deposited in old surface-mine pits or in mounds. These materials can be
physically stabilized and protected from runoff or leaching to varying degrees, but have nevertheless
been frequent sources of environmental problems.
In contrast to most mining operations, however, gypsum rock is fairly widely available and
mining/quarrying it generates relatively little waste. In comparison with metals mining, for example,
there is little or no separating (depending on the amount and nature of impurities), no refining or
smelting of the desired materials from the rock. In the gypsum industry, it is the rock itself that is
quite often used in its entirety. In mines or quarries where gypsum rock is contaminated with larger
volumes of limestone or dolomite, and it is separated from them, limestone or dolomite is resold and
used in road bases or in similar applications. In general, the extraction of gypsum, like other
structural materials extracted from mines, pits and quarries, results in little environmental
contamination although the degree of land disturbance can be substantial.1
Based on information obtained from six different gypsum mines or quarries located in all three
regions of Canada, weighted average solid waste, including mine/quarry soil/subsoil overlay,
overburden, minespoil and separated impurities (limestone, dolomite, salt, shale), was estimated to
be 336.5 kg/tonne of gypsum rock. (Excluding stripped overlay and overburden, solid waste
impurities on their own were estimated to be 142.8 kg/tonne of gypsum. This is in good agreement
with U.S. EPA numbers.2) Taking into consideration the fact that 1.2048 tonnes of gypsum are
needed to produce one tonne of stucco (Section 3.1), and the difference in regional usage of natural
gypsum versus the other sources (Table 3.3, Section 3), solid waste unit factors expressed per tonne
of stucco were developed for all three regions, and are shown in Table 9.1.
TABLE 9.1 GYPSUM EXTRACTION SOLID WASTE BY REGION
natural gypsum solid waste

as percentage of total gypsum
supply [%]
Solid waste [kg/tonne of natural gypsum] 336.51
Solid waste [kg/tonne of stucco] * 405.43
West Region (Vancouver, Calgary) [kg/tonne of stucco] 86.50 350.68

Central region (Winnipeg, Toronto) [kg/tonne of stucco] 85.33 345.94
East region (Montreal, Halifax) [kg/tonne of stucco] 81.26 329.44
Note: * if stucco produced from natural gypsum only
As more by-product gypsum will enter the gypsum board production stream replacing some of the
natural gypsum, these solid waste unit factors will undoubtedly diminish in the years to come.

During the gypsum board manufacturing stage about 2 to 5% of the production is culled due to
some operation problems or material being off specifications. However, in contrast to many other
manufacturing processes, the rejected gypsum board is not wasted; virtually all of it is reused.
Most of the off-spec board is broken down, shredded and recycled back as a part of the raw
materials stream into the production. As shown in Table 3.3 in Section 3, such internal gypsum
board waste recycling accounts for about 6%, 4% and 7% of the gypsum sources in the West,
Central and East regions respectively.
Some of the waste gypsum board is also cut into strips and used as sleutters to support gypsum
board pallets during storage and transportation, thus eliminating the need to use 4"x4" wood
support for the same purpose. Any off-spec paper or damaged paper is also recycled, as is the
paper that is on some occasions stripped from the waste gypsum board before it is broken,
shredded and fed back into the calciner.
Consequently, there is no solid waste that is associated with the gypsum board manufacturing stage.
The only solid waste generated by the gypsum board production is that already identified and
estimated above for gypsum mining / quarrying.
9.1.3 Total Solid Waste Due to Gypsum Board Production

The unit factors from Table 7.1, now considered the total solid waste factor estimates, can then be
combined with typical average mass of stucco used in formulations of different gypsum board
products (Table 3.1, Section 3) to develop estimates for solid waste associated with gypsum board
production expressed per m2 of board. (For gypsum fiberboard, it was assumed that use of perlite
generates about the same amount of solid waste as gypsum.) These estimates are presented in
Table 9.2.
TABLE 9.2 TOTAL SOLID WASTE ASSOCIATED WITH GYPSUM BOARD

PRODUCTION BY REGION [KG/M 2 OF BOARD]
[kg of [kg of solid waste/m 2 ]

stucco/m 2 ]
West Central East
1/2" regular gypsum board 6.3610 2.2307 2.2005 2.0955

1/2" Type X gypsum board 6.3329 2.2208 2.1908 2.0863
1/2" MR gypsum board 6.9755 2.4462 2.4131 2.2980
5/8" regular gypsum board 8.3057 2.9126 2.8733 2.7362
5/8" type X gypsum board 8.4239 2.9541 2.9141 2.7751
5/8" MR gypsum board 8.9438 3.1364 3.0940 2.9464
5/16" mobile home board 4.4665 1.5663 1.5451 1.4714
1" shaftliner 15.6671 5.4941 5.4198 5.1613
1/2" gypsum fiberboard (GFB)* 8.1738** - - 2.6928
5/8" gypsum fiberboard (GFB)* 10.1421** - - 3.3412
notes: * includes perlite

** GFB is produced only in the East region
9.2 THE USE OF WASTES IN GYPSUM BOARD PROCESSING

It has been already noted (Section 2.6.5) that the gypsum board industry is in a rather unique
position in that it can use industrial by-products, construction waste and products made from post-
consumers waste paper as a part of its raw materials stream. This recycling and reuse of by-
products and wastes is one of the major strengths of the gypsum industry. Westroc’s Mississauga
plant became the first Canadian gypsum board plant operating entirely on FGD by-product/waste
gypsum, with a number of other operations supplementing their gypsum rock supply with by-
product gypsum, or construction waste gypsum. This trend to increased utilization of by-product
gypsum appears to be especially strong in East region plants. It is entirely feasible that both
CGC’s and Westroc’s Montreal gypsum board plants will be operating on 100% by-product /
recycled gypsum before the end of 1996.
The availability of free, or very inexpensive by-product gypsum, is changing the gypsum industry.
In years to come, it is expected that where it will make economic and geographic sense, more and
more FGD gypsum will be used.3 In 1992 in the U.S.A. over 25.5 GWe of coal-fired power
generating plants were already operating, under construction, or planned to be equipped with wet
lime/limestone scrubbers generating FGD gypsum. It is expected that by the end of the decade
some 7.3-million tonnes of FGD gypsum could be available.6,7 To put that number in perspective,
it represents about one-third of the total U.S. annual consumption and almost one-half of its
gypsum mining output. Other sources forecast an eventual U.S. production of synthetic gypsum as
high as 32-million tonnes annually.8
Increased generation and use of FGF gypsum is a worldwide phenomenon. In Great Britain, FGD
gypsum output of just one power station, of the National Power’s Drax station, when fully
operational in late 1996, will have the capability to supply up to 1,000,000 tonnes of gypsum
annually, representing more than one third of the total UK gypsum industry needs.
In Canada 1.5 GWe power generating capacity already is or will soon be similarly equipped with
flue gas desulfurization scrubbers capable of generating commercial grade gypsum.5 Canadian
FGD gypsum production capability, estimated on the basis of Canadian vs. U.S. wet lime/limestone
scrubbing capacity, appears to be in the 500,000 tonnes/year area. This figure seems to correspond
well with the FGD gypsum generating forecasts expected from Ontario Hydro’s Lambton and New
Brunswick’s Belledune power stations.
In at least two Canadian metropolitan areas, Vancouver and Toronto, construction gypsum board
waste has been banned from landfill sites since the early 1990s. In these areas, the gypsum board
producers entered into partnership arrangements with recycling companies such as New West
Gypsum. Gypsum construction waste is being collected and processed by recyclers, and supplied
back to the gypsum board manufacturing plants. An alternate use for construction waste, according
to the Gypsum Association, includes agricultural applications and animal bedding material.4
Beneficial re-use of either by-product or waste construction gypsum eliminates some of the
pressure on scarce landfill sites.
One leading gypsum board producer certifies that over 20% (by weight) of all gypsum board
manufactured consisted of recycled material, and that 100% of gypsum waste generated at that
particular manufacturing facility is recycled.9 The same operation was recognized for its
environmental leadership by the Recycling Council of Ontario when it was awarded the 1991
Ontario Waste Minimization Award for Outstanding Industrial 3-R’s Initiative.
Table 9.3 summarizes the current distribution of gypsum sources used by Canadian gypsum board
manufacturers.
TABLE 9.3 DISTRIBUTION OF GYPSUM SOURCES BY GEOGRAPHICAL REGION (%)
Natural Synthetic Recycled / Recycled /

Gypsum Gypsum external internal
West Avg. 86 0 8 6
Central Avg. 85 7 4 4
East Avg. 81 10 2 7
CANADA 85 6 4 5
Furthermore, as already noted in Section 2.2.3, paper used as facings of gypsum board is made
entirely f rom waste paper (old newspaper, magazines and corrugated cardboard). Therefore,
gypsum board from at least some of the operations is, or can be, 100% recycled or by-products-
derived building material.
9.3 SOLID WASTES ESTIMATES - FINISHING PRODUCTS

According to industry sources, there is no solid waste generated in the manufacturing steps of joint
compounds production, other than bagged raw materials packaging. Paper bags packaging,
however, is collected, compacted and sent back to the paper producers for recycling, and is not
therefore considered to be a waste.
Consequently, the only solid waste assignable to the joint compounds production, is the portion of
the solid waste generated in extraction of industrial minerals used as their constituents. In Table
9.1, solid waste of 336.51 kg/tonne of gypsum and 405.43 kg/tonne of stucco (plaster) were
shown. As a rough approximation, we will use the “gypsum” solid waste number for limestone,
mica, talc and clay as well. Combining the content of industrial minerals in the joint compound
formulations (Tables 3.6 and 3.7) with these factors, we can provide some indication of the solid
waste associated with joint compounds production (Table 9.4).
TABLE 9.4 SOLID WASTE ASSOCIATED WITH JOINT COMPOUNDS PRODUCTION
Ready Mix Joint Compound Setting Joint Compound
[g/kg of compound] [g/m2 of board] [g/kg of compound] [g/m2 of board]
206.62 139.26 369.94 130.22
REFERENCES
1. “The State of Canada’s Environment”, Environment Canada, Ottawa 1991, p. 11-20.
2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Industrial Process Profiles for Environmental
Use: Chapter 17, The Gypsum and Board Industry, 1977.
3. G.J. Venta, R.T. Hemmings, “FGD Gypsum Utilization: A Strategic Approach to Reuse”,
Proceedings, Paper 95-WA80.03, Air & Waste Management Association 88th Annual
Meeting & Exhibition, San Antonio, TX, June 18-23, 1995.
Guide, July 1993.
5. H.N. Soud, M. Takeshita, “FGD Handbook”, Chapter 4 - FGD Installations on Coal-Fired
Plants, IEACR/65 Report, IEA Coal Research, London, January 1994.
6. G.J. Venta, R.T. Hemmings, “FGD Gypsum Utilization: Bridging the “Two Solitudes”,
Proceedings of 11th International Symposium on Use and Management of Coal Combustion
By-Products (CCBs), American Coal Ash Association, Orlando, FL, January 15-19, 1995.
7. W. Ellison, R.A. Kuntze, “Expanding of Markets for Gypsum Byproducts”, Proceedings of

Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, Inc., 1993 Annual Meeting, Reno, NE.
8. J.A. Walker, “Gypsum - The Miracle Mineral: Brief History and Prospects”, Proceedings of
the 4th International Conference on Inorganic-Bonded Wood and Fiber Composite Materials,
9. “Certificate of Recycling”, Westroc Industries Limited, June 1993.

Gypsum Wallboard PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Gypsum Wallboard PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS OF

GYPSUM BOARD AND

Although the ATHENATM Sustainable Materials Institute has done its

No part of this report may be reproduced in any form or by any

Text  1997 ATHENATM Sustainable Materials Institute

ATHENATM Sustainable Materials Institute

1.0 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1-1

2.0 GYPSUM INDUSTRY - AN OVERVIEW..................................................................... 2-1

3.0 Raw Material Requirements and Transportation........................................................ 3-1

4.0 Energy Use - Gypsum Board ........................................................................................... 4-1

5.0 Energy Use - Finishing Products .................................................................................... 5-1

6.0 Atmospheric Emissions - Gypsum Board...................................................................... 6-1

7.0 Atmospheric Emissions - Joint Finishing Products..................................................... 7-1

8.0 Liquid Effluents ............................................................................................................... 8-1

9.0 Solid Wastes .................................................................................................................. 9-1

Forintek Canada Corp. would like to acknowledge Natural

Brian Colbert W.R. Grace & Co. of Canada Ltd.

Michel de Spot Greater Vancouver Regional District

LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS OF GYPSUM BOARD

1.1 RESEARCH GUIDELINES

• the specific building products;

• transportation factors to be included when estimating transportation energy

1.2 STUDY STRUCTURE

• 1/2" regular gypsum board,

1.3 REPORT STRUCTURE

The following regional breakdown was followed in the study:

• West (British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan);

The report is organized as follows:

Section 2 presents an overview profile of the gypsum industry in Canada,

Section 6 deals with atmospheric emissions associated with gypsum board

Section 7 deals with atmospheric emissions generated by production of

Section 8 focuses on liquid effluents associated with production of gypsum

Section 9 deals with solid wastes generated by production of gypsum board

2.0 GYPSUM INDUSTRY - AN OVERVIEW

2.1 INDUSTRY STRUCTURE

TABLE 2.1: GYPSUM MINING AND GYPSUM PRODUCTS MANUFACTURING

Company Location Operation

Source: Adapted from Ref. (1)

2.1.2 Gypsum Fiberboard

2.1.3 Gypsum Building Plasters

2.1.4 Joint Finishing Products

• drying compounds, and

2.2 GYPSUM BOARD MANUFACTURING

face pin mixer

gypsum board to warehouse & shipping

2.2.2 Calcination Plant

Other sources of gypsum

Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum

Stage 3 — Gypsum Separation: Large crystals of a desirable size are separated by

Raymond mill, stucco bins

2.2.3 Gypsum Board Plant

Gypsum board line

Knife, transfer station

Gypsum board drying kiln

2.2.4 Types of Gypsum Board Produced

• 63% was regular gypsum board,

Of the gypsum regular board,

Product Thousand Thousand Value %

Veneer base 419,149 374 36,667 1.8070

Sheathing 286,166 242 33,544 1.2337

Type X gypsum board 5,526,219 5,157 460,985 23.8244

Predecorated board 87,066 78 27,872 0.3754

5/16" mobile home board 1,226,687 843 117,345 5.2884