Skips are a great choice whatever you’re looking to get rid of, for the most part. However, for both legal and practical reasons there are a few things you can’t put into a skip, that you must ensure you dispose of separately.
If you put things in a skip that are not supposed to be in there, then you run the risk of the company refusing to take it away, charging you more, and even being criminally prosecuted in certain circumstances. It’s so important that you pay attention to what is not allowed to be placed into a skip and avoid it.
To help you, here’s a list of items that can’t be put in a skip. Bear in mind that to avoid confusion you should always double check with your own skip company:
Waste That Cannot Be Put In A Skip
● TVs/monitors
● Air conditioning units
● Plasterboard
● Asbestos
● Batteries
● Tyres
● Medical Waste
● Flo tubes
● Gas cylinders
● Electricals
● Solvents
● Paint tins
● Fuels
These items cannot be placed in skips, either because they are extremely harmful, they must be disposed of in a special way, or both.
Many items are suitable to be disposed of in this manner, however. Below is a list of waste that can be put into a skip:
Waste That Can Be Put In A Skip
● Wood
● Solidified paint
● Soil
● Rubble
● Polystyrene
● Plastic
● Metal
● Gas cookers
● Garden waste (leaves, clippings, etc.)
● Furniture
● Food and food packaging
● Fittings (non-electrical)
● Empty tins
● Domestic waste
● Cardboard
● Bricks
You can put all of the items above into your skip, if you wish. Only the prohibited items are not allowed to be mixed with other things.
More About The Materials That Must Be Disposed Of Separately
Electrical Appliances And Equipment
You cannot get rid of appliances or electrical equipment in your skip, like fridges, freezers, TVs, air conditioning units, and similar items. You must take these to an appropriate recycling facility as they cannot be mixed with other kinds of waste.
GAS Cylinders
You cannot dispose of gas cylinders in skips. Both full and empty cylinders must be disposed of separately. These items are dangerous and because of this skip companies are not licensed to get rid of them. You can usually find places that will reuse or recycle these cylinders instead.
Asbestos
Asbestos is one of the most important things you must never put in a skip. It is a terribly harmful substance, and it’s illegal to reuse and recycle this material. A specialist removal contractor must get rid of asbestos.
Batteries
You mustn’t place any type of battery, of any size in a skip. Metals and chemicals are inside batteries and they must be treated separately. Even small batteries are a no-go. Take them to battery recycling boxes in supermarkets or petrol stations instead. You can also look for your closest battery recycling centre. For car batteries, contact your local garage.
Paint, Solvents, Liquids And Fuel
Paint, solvent, and fuel must be disposed of separately. These chemical compounds are not covered by a skip company’s license. Fluorescent lighting tubes contain mercury, another hazardous chemical, so they too cannot be put into skips either. You must get licensed disposal for these items.
Medical Waste
Infection and contamination can come hand in hand with medical waste, so it’s important you don’t dispose of these in ordinary skips. Medical waste must be dealt with by a licensed firm, whether it’s used/unused needles or biological waste you have to get rid of.
Plasterboard
Plasterboard and gypsum waste must not be put into a skip. Many government initiatives aim to recycle most of these items instead, so make sure you look for specialist recycling plants. Although some firms may accept plasterboard if it is the only waste in a skip, they will not accept it mixed with other waste types. You must check with your individual skip company before getting rid of this.
Tyres
When being disposed of, tyres need care. There is a proper way to dispose of them and doing it in a skip is not it. Contact your local garage if unsure.
Rules, Regulations & Advice
Skip firms have an incentive to recycle as much as they can, so that they do not get charged something called landfill tax. This is why certain restrictions are implemented, because they are not covered to deal with certain things in the right way.
If you’re unsure, it’s always better to contact your skip hire provider so that you don’t get hit with charges or into even more trouble.