What can I put inside my skip?

One of the most common questions that comes up when people are inquiring about hiring a skip is what items are they allowed to put in it.

Whilst skips are an excellent choice for getting rid of most things, for legal or practical reasons some items, such as liquids, are not permitted to be put in skips and therefore need to be disposed of in other ways.

Different skip hire companies will often have different rules as to what can go in their skips, so if you have items that you are unsure about it is always best to ask first before hiring. However, this article aims to give a broad overview of the type of products that might not be allowed. Everyone has different reasons for choosing a skip, so to make it easier, we’ve divided this guide up into common uses for skips.

Skips for household use

If you’re moving house and getting rid of some old possessions, or perhaps just looking to de-clutter your home as part of a spring clean then hiring a skip can be a handy solution. But you should be aware that some items, such as fridges and freezers are not permitted to be disposed of in skips as they contain harmful gases. However, you can arrange for fridge freezers to be collected by the council; typically, this costs around £10-30, or alternatively you can look to transport the fridge to a designated fridge freezer recycling plant yourself. Other household items they may be forbidden include electrical equipment such as TVs and computer screens, fluorescent tubes and air conditioning units. Batteries are also not allowed in skips, but there are many places within local communities that now have battery recycling facilities.

Construction and decorators waste

The nature of the construction process typically requires a place to put lots of waste products such as concrete, stone, bricks and other rubble. For this reason, skips are commonplace in building sites across the UK. If you’re looking to renovate old buildings and houses, you should be aware that asbestos is not permitted to be disposed of in skips as this material is dangerous for anyone in contact with it. Furthermore, paints and solvents should not be placed in skips, as paint is a chemical compound and skip hire firms do not hold licenses to dispose of this type of hazardous waste. Plasterboard is often not allowed in skips either.

Garages

Oil, petrol and diesel are all products that are highly flammable and are not permitted to be put into skips as there is always a chance that they could ignite. The same applies to gas bottles and canisters. Tyres and vehicle batteries are also not allowed to be disposed of in this way as these materials are extremely toxic to the environment and need to be disposed of at a registered recycler. In fact, as a general rule of thumb anything that is considered to be a hazardous or toxic material is not allowed in a skip.

Clinical or medical waste

Medical waste cannot be disposed of in skips because these materials could prove hazardous to those who come into contact with them. As a result, this type of waste is subject to very tight controls and doctors, vets or pharmacies who want to get rid of this type of waste must contact a company that is authorised to recover and dispose of medical waste.

Most other items can be disposed of in skips, but if you have got any specific concerns about what you can or cannot put in a skip, or for other general queries then please call LSPS on 0800 083 7807. More information about hiring a skip can also be found in our article “Hiring a skip? Here are some ground rules”.