JoshTime for a declutter? By enlisting the help of a skip, you can save a lot of effort when it comes to waste disposal. But you can’t just throw anything into any old skip! There are a few restrictions you need to be aware of, for the health and safety of the waste management team that will collect your skip, as well as the impact your waste has on the environment.
Follow this advice and fill your skip safely and correctly, with help from industry experts Skip Hire UK!
The best skip for you
First things first, choose the skip size that suits your purpose best with this guidance:
- Mini skip —got slightly more rubbish than your bin can accommodate? A mini skip could be what you need. These skips are 0.76 metres in height and 1.52 metres in length, so they’re great for smaller projects like a spring clean. They hold around 20-25 black bags worth of waste.
- Midi skip — choose the next level up, a midi skip, for overdue clear out’s and small DIY projects. 0.97 metres high and 1.83 metres in length, they’re the biggest skip you can get before committing to a full-on builders skip! These skips hold 35-45 black bags of waste, on average.
- Builders skip — a ‘traditional’ big skip is a common sight on people’s driveways or outside businesses. At 1.22 metres high and 3.66 metres in length, builders skips can handle medium-to-large scale renovations. Such skips will hold around 65-85 black bags.
- Large skip —for entire-house revamps and serious decluttering missions, this may be the ideal skip for you. Holding a whopping potential 100-160 black bags in its 1.6-metre-high and 4.2 metre-long container, these skips are great for large-scale waste projects.
Common skip dilemmas
Can my fridge go in the skip? Or can some broken glass be disposed of in a skip? Let’s find out the answer to these common uncertainties.
Be cautious when it comes to filling your skip, as some things are prohibited from being disposed in a skip. A common example of an item that can’t go in a skip is a fridge.
The toxic substances found in household fridges require specialist disposal, and a skip will not suffice for this. Generally speaking, most of the items that are prohibited from being disposed of in a skip are harmful or hazardous in some way and require specialist disposal.
The following items cannot be placed into a skip, as they may pose health hazards: toxic material, plasterboard, oil, tyres, paint cans, TVs, laptops and monitors, oil, liquids, Asbestos, solvents, medical waste, and fluorescent tubes.
As well as this, note that gas cylinders, batteries, and petrol or diesel cans can’t go in a skip either, as they are fire hazards.
Also, it’s important to remember that food waste cannot go in skip..
How to dispose of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
More of us own electronics than ever before. So, when it comes to a clear-out or renovation, the chances are that you’ll come across an old laptop or mobile phone from yesteryear!
These electronics are listed as WEEE; while it is possible to recycle them, to do so requires specialist services which go beyond the standard household recycling scheme.
- TVs and monitors
- Laptops and PCs
- MP3 players
- Mobile phones
- Tablets and iPads
- Plugs and wires
Remember not to put any of these items into your skip! There’s no need for them to head for a landfill.
So… What can I put in a skip?
Here’s a brief overview of what you can put into a skip.
Most forms of general waste are fine to be disposed in a skip, such as wood, old furniture, bags of rubbish, rubble, or ceramics. Metal, plastic, and non-electrical fittings are also fine to be popped into the skip.
Clear up any uncertainties by simply getting in touch with your local skip hire company, for industry advice.