FREEPHONE 0800 083 7807

LSPS Ltd
61-70 Harrison Close ,
South Wigston ,
Leicester , LE18 4ZL
Email:

Skip Hire Guide for Beginners

thumbnail (1)Hiring a skip can be relatively daunting if it is something you have never done before. Here is our skip hire guide for beginners. 

Be careful what you put in a skip 

Many people believe that anything can be placed in a skip and although that would be extremely convenient, it is not the case. Although you can place the majority of materials in a skip, here are some that you must definitely avoid:

•    Asbestos 
•    Batteries
•    Medical Waste
•    Toxic materials 
•    Fridge / Freezers
•    Tyres 
•    Plasterboard
•    Gas canisters
•    Electrical Equipment 
•    Paint Cans 

If you are in any doubt, ensure you ask if you are concerned about any of the items you are wanting to use the skip for. All of the items listed above have their own specific ways of disposal. If you are found with any of these prohibited items in your skip, you could end up being charged and have the items returned to you.

Skip Sizes 

Skip sizes vary and it can be confusing to understand exactly what size you need. The larger the skip you hire, the cheaper it is per cubic metre of waste. However, there is no point hiring a large skip if you know you don’t have a lot of waste. Visualise how much waste you have and make a decision from there. It is worth getting the size up to make sure you have sufficient space. Not only is this more value per cubic metre, in reality, but you may also find more waste that you hadn't taken into consideration.

Skip Hire Prices

There are no standard prices for skip hire and they will inevitably vary due to several factors, including the type of skip you need, how long you need it for and where you are geographically located. In addition to this, if you do not have the space to have a skip on your property, you will need to factor in the additional cost of obtaining a permit to have it on the roadside. 

Skip permits

A skip permit or a skip licence need to be obtained if you are placing the skip on a public road instead of your own property. Not only will you need to pay a small fee to get one, but you must also allow a few additional days for the skip permit to be sorted. Luckily, most skip hire companies will organise this on your behalf and make all the arrangements. You must also consider whether the skip will be located on single yellow lines or in a pay and display bay as you may need a parking suspension in addition to the permit.

Wait and load skips 

Wait and load services are often available to customers and are perfect for those that need their waste removed quickly or simply do not have any space to place the skip overnight. Your skip will be delivered, you will need to load it, then the skip is immediately taken away.

Can I have help loading the skip?

Many skip hires do not include labour costs. It is imperative that you have organised the ability for someone to help you load the skip if necessary. You must ensure that you are loading the skip safely at all times and never attempt to lift items that are too heavy. If you do not have anyone to help you and you have a lot of bulky items to move then a man and van clearance service may be a better fit for you.

How long can I keep the skip? 

You can often determine how long you require the skip for. However, it normally covers 1 or 2 weeks. You can organise to have it collected before then if you need to. If you need the skip longer than this, you may have an additional charge. If you need to change the time frame for whatever reason, ensure you provide your skip hire provider plenty of notice to make the arrangements. 

Access

Skips are usually delivered in large lorries, so you need to ensure they will be able to access your location in order to drop the skip off. If you are concerned with access, inform your skip hire company in advance to try and sort out an alternative.

Weight 

Skips can hold a lot of weight as even the mini skips, which are 2 yards, can usually hold up to 2 tonnes. Although it is rare that households will exceed this amount, always check if you are concerned about going over the weight limit.

Height 

An issue can often occur by people overloading skips, not in terms of weight but in height. Your skip will have a fill line on the inside which you should not exceed. If you do there is a chance your skip will not be taken away as it is now a safety hazard. If you overload it, there is a significant risk of items falling out when the skip is in transit.

Driveway Damage 

Some people are concerned that a skip will cause damage to their driveway. Skips are heavy when they are empty, let along when they are full. You can have the skip placed on scaffolding planks if you have them. If you are concerned about damage, discuss with your skip hire provider first who can guide you according to what material your driveway or skip location is made from.

Recycling 

At LSPS, we ensure that the waste we collect is sorted sufficiently and have as much waste recycled as possible. 

Hopefully, these tips will help make the process of hiring a skip that much easier. It can take some planning to ensure you have the space to have a skip and order the correct one, however, once you have one delivered, you can load it in your own time and avoid the hassle of several trips to the tip.

To find out more about how we can help you with your waste disposal and recycling needs, please contact us on 0800 083 7807 or visit our website for further information. 

Guide to Recycling Plastics

PlasticsWe are all aware of the damage plastics can have on the environment and that we should be recycling wherever possible. However, with so many different rules regarding the best way to recycle and reuse and also so many different types of plastic, the whole thing can be extremely confusing and overwhelming. Here is our definitive guide to recycling plastics  .

What are plastics?

To start off with, we want to understand exactly what is meant by the term plastic, as it covers a myriad of things. The properties of plastic mean that they can be moulded into practically anything, from forks to straws to cars. Although all of these are classed under the umbrella term of plastic, there are in fact many different types. Here we describe some of the different types.

•    Epoxy resin filler is a type of plastic that becomes hard after only a few minutes and can be placed into wood that has rotted away
•    D30 is a soft plastic that hardens once it has been suddenly hit. This type of plastic is often used for sports equipment as it can provide added protection 
•    Fibreglass is a combination of plastic and glass and is often used for constructing methods of transport such as boats or cars

Plastics are formed from polymers which are compounds made from combining monomers. Depending on the different monomers chosen, different plastics are created which all have their own specific properties. Plastics also act differently when they are heated. Thermoplastics (such as water bottles and plastic toys) soften and bend when heated, whereas others, known as thermosets, will never soften (for example, epoxy resin and polyurethane).

In order to properly recycle plastic, a person must have an understanding of what type of plastic it is. Plastics need to be placed with others of their kind before they are recycled. 

You may not even realise that some items contain plastic. For example, the material tights are made from, Nylon, is in fact a plastic, but isn't what usually springs to mind when you imagine plastic.

Why is plastic problematic

Although some plastics can be recycled, overall plastic is a huge problem because they are as a whole synthetic. Since they do not naturally form in nature, animals and other forms of life have not yet adapted to them being in their environment. The disposable nature of many plastics means that they often end up in our landscapes and oceans, causing significant damage to our wildlife. 

Some plastic can also be extremely toxic when they are heated. Certain chemicals can be exuded from the plastic which can end up in the air or going into the ground, which can bring significant health issues.

Why is recycling plastic important?

As it can take up to 1,000 years for plastic to degrade, landfills cannot cope with plastics. Therefore, it is imperative that plastic is recycled whenever possible. By recycling plastics we are conserving energy as new plastic is not being created from scratch, we are avoiding plastic ending up in our natural environments, we are limiting pollution and also reducing greenhouse gases.

These are merely a few of the benefits to recycling plastics so it is a no brainer that everyone should be doing their part. However, unfortunately, it is not always simple. We regularly check items to see if they are recyclable but the symbols can often be confusing. This can lead people to assume the product is not recyclable when in fact it is. Alternatively, it can lead people to automatically assume it is recyclable when it isn't, which can then contaminate the rest of the recycling. 

How we can recycle at home 

Reuse plastic containers
Before throwing anything away, see if you can use it again. Plastic containers make great storage and saves you buying some new containers.

Save plastic bottles to use in the garden 
They can make great watering cans

Squash plastic bottles down 
Before placing plastic bottles in the bin, squash them down. Not only does this mean you can fit more in your recycling bin, but it also makes it easier to sort at the recycling plant if the plastics are lying flat.

Remove any food
Rinse out items before placing them in the recycling bin. 

Have recycling bins around the house 
Do not limit yourself to only having a recycling bin in the kitchen. A lot of waste from bathrooms and home offices can also be recycled. However, many people simply place all the items in the nearest bin and may not think about recycling.

Whilst a plastic-free world is not attainable at the moment as plastics have many positive uses, it is important for us to understand that not all plastics are the same. They need to be treated differently and if we can all do our part at home and at work, we can slowly make recycling second nature.

Latest Articles

Follow us on Twitter

Like us on Facebook