Booking a skip is one of the easiest ways to get rid of waste, especially during home renovations, garden clearances, or construction projects. However, not everything can go in a skip. This guide will help you know what you can and can’t put in a skip, so waste disposal is easy and stress-free. To hire a skip, visit The Skip Company.
What Can You Put in a Skip?
When you book a skip, the general rule is that you can put most general household waste in it. Wood flooring, old furniture, plastic toys, bird feeders, and garden waste like grass clippings can all go in a skip. Skips are great for renovations, demolition work, and even general tidying up around the house.
However, there are some prohibited items and certain types of waste that need special attention. Always check with your skip hire company to make sure you’re disposing of waste correctly.
What Can Go in a Skip:
- Household Waste: General items like old clothes, broken furniture, plastics, and non-hazardous materials.
- Construction Waste: Leftover bricks, tiles, wood, and metal from home renovations or building projects can go in a skip.
- Garden Waste: Grass clippings, branches, leaves, and soil can all go in a skip for garden clearances.
- Food Waste: Small amounts of food waste can go in a skip but should be limited to avoid attracting pests.
- Electrical Equipment: Washing machines and fridges can often go in skips, but there may be an additional fee for these larger items.
- Old Plastic Toys: Broken or unwanted plastic toys, like dolls or playsets, can also go in a skip.
What Can’t Go in a Skip
While skips can take as much waste as you need, there are certain items that are restricted for environmental or safety reasons. Disposing of these items incorrectly can result in fines or damage to the environment.
Prohibited Items:
- Hazardous Waste: Asbestos, persistent organic pollutants, and hazardous substances can’t go in a skip. These need to be disposed of by a specialist due to their danger.
- Medical Waste: Any medical waste, like syringes or medication, can’t go in a skip.
- Gas Cylinders: These can explode and can’t go in a skip.
- Fluorescent Tubes: These contain hazardous materials like mercury and need to be recycled separately at a recycling centre.
- Batteries: These contain harmful chemicals like lead and cadmium and can damage the environment if not disposed of properly.
- Liquid Waste: Paint tins, oil, or any liquid waste can’t go in skips.
- Harmful Chemicals: Items containing poisonous chemicals, like bleach or pesticides, must be disposed of with care at a designated waste disposal site.
Hazardous Waste and Specialist Disposal
For waste that contains hazardous or harmful chemicals, like asbestos, persistent organic pollutants, or gas cylinders, you need to arrange for trained professionals to handle the disposal. This will ensure these hazardous substances are disposed of safely and do not harm the environment or people.
If you’re not sure if something is hazardous, contact your local garage or skip hire company for advice. Many skip hire companies will provide advice and may also offer specialist services for hazardous waste disposal.
What Happens to Waste in a Skip?
Once you’ve finished with the skip and it’s been collected, the waste is taken to a recycling centre where materials are sorted. Many items are recycled, such as plastics, wood, and metals. This reduces the environmental impact of the waste you’re disposing of. Skips are a convenient way to get rid of as much waste as possible while following the rules on what can and can’t go in a skip.
Some materials, like soil, building waste, and general waste, can be recycled at the recycling centre, reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.
Skip Sizes and Types of Waste
Skip hire companies offer different sizes of skips, from small domestic skips to large industrial skips. When hiring a skip, you need to think about the type of waste you’re disposing of. For example, a renovation project will generate a lot of building waste, whereas a garden clearance will produce more garden waste.
Some waste, like electrical equipment or old plastic toys, may need to be recycled separately, so it’s worth checking with the skip company if they offer recycling services for these items.
Restricted Items and Specialist Fees
Many skip hire companies charge extra for certain items, especially hazardous waste. If you need to dispose of fluorescent tubes, gas cylinders, or electrical equipment, check if there’s an extra cost for these.
Medical waste, hazardous chemicals, and liquid waste should never go in a skip. However, items like washing machines and wood flooring are usually accepted but may come with an extra charge as they are harder to dispose of.
Disposal of Special Items
When clearing out household waste, many will wonder if they can dispose of items like animal waste, bird feeders, or items found in a garage. Most of these can go in a skip as long as they don’t contain harmful chemicals or hazardous substances. Always check with your skip hire company to avoid any confusion.
Prohibited items, like batteries, asbestos, or persistent organic pollutants, should be disposed of at designated waste disposal facilities. For anything you’re unsure about, your local recycling centre will be able to advise.
Conclusion
Knowing what you can put in a skip is crucial for legal and environmentally friendly waste disposal. If in doubt, always ask your skip hire company about restricted items or specialist requirements. Whether you’re disposing of household waste, construction waste, or materials from a home renovation, hiring a skip makes the process easier and more efficient.
Just remember to keep an eye out for those prohibited items like medical waste, gas cylinders, and harmful chemicals, and use trained professionals for the safe disposal of hazardous waste. Skips are a convenient way to get rid of general waste and help with the recycling of materials, getting your project or clean-up back on track.
