Gypsum board is used all around the world as a key material for the construction industry. One of the challenges with this product is the resulting waste, the majority of which is simply thrown away. Dr Kazuto Endo, of the National Institute for Environmental Studies in Japan, has been investigating the issue of gypsum board waste recycling for the past 15 years and has been instrumental in the creation of quality guidelines for recycled gypsum powder and the implementation of these standards across the industry, resulting in higher levels of recycling and safer, more sustainable use of resources. Endo’s work, both on recycling gypsum board waste and the development and implementation of quality control guidelines for this process, have the potential to play a significant role in increasing both safety and sustainability of the use of this resource.