Study of the use of paper manufacturing waste in plaster composite mixtures

The reuse of by-products or waste from industrial processes in construction is an increasingly common practice. In this article, we present an experimental study aimed at evaluating the reuse of paper pulp waste generated in the manufacture of paper for non-structural elements in the form of a plaster–pulp composite material. The analysis of several variables, such as the proportion of pulp added or the mix procedure, in respect to aspects relating to the properties of the fresh and hard material, has demonstrated that it is feasible, although the natural state of the waste material used, with high water content and extensive caking, makes prior treatment advisable.