How long does our waste take to break down?

We are now more aware than ever that we need to get rid of our waste in the most responsible way as possible. This is important as there are many materials that take years, decades, or even centuries to decompose. Here, we answer the question “how long does our waste take to break down?" 

Under a year  

Train tickets 

Cotton gloves  

Cardboard 

Thread  

Rope 

Newspaper 

Up to 5 Years 

Plywood  

Wool clothing  

Up to 15 years 

Lumber  

Painted board  

Cigarettes 

Between 20 and 100 years 

Leather (25-40 years) 

Nylon clothes (25-40 years) 

Tin cans (up to 50 years) 

Foamed plastic cups (up to 50 years) 

Rubber-soled boots (50-80 years) 

Up to 500 years 

Batteries (up to 100 years) 

Batteries are one of the most dangerous items to be left in a landfill. As the thin metal casing will decompose in approximately 100 years, the heavy metals inside will be left exposed. Unfortunately, these metals will never decompose and are toxic.  

Aluminium cans (200 years) 

Sanitary pads (at least 500 years) 

plastic bags (at least 500 years) 

plastic bottles (up to 450 years) 

Over 500 years 

Glass bottles (up to 2 million years) 

Styrofoam (DOES NOT DEGRADE) 

Tin Foil (DOES NOT DEGRADE) 

It is important to note that although glass bottles can take a staggering 2 million years to naturally decompose, they are easy to recycle due to the fact that they are mostly made out of sand.  

Food Waste  

It is reasonable to believe that because food waste comes from the ground, it should decompose quickly. However, this is not actually the case. Different food items decay at different rates. Whilst something like a banana peel may take up to a month to decay, orange peels can take six months. Surprisingly lettuce leaves that are in landfills can stay up to a quarter of a century before they decompose completely. This is another reason why food waste should also be kept to an absolute minimum. 

Although this list is not comprehensive, it is a scary concept to consider the fact that a lot of the rubbish we personally create in our lifetime could still be around centuries after. However, it is not all doom and gloom. There are many little changes we can all make to our everyday routines that can help reduce the amount of waste we produce. From cutting back on plastic in our beauty routines, to using reusable coffee cups, avoiding plastic bags for shopping, and keeping our clothes for longer. 

Some of the figures shared above are truly shocking. They highlight the vital need to reduce using these materials where possible and if we do use them, check to see if they can be recycled first. Hiring a skip is an efficient way to ensure as much as your waste is being recycled as possible.  

The negative effects of fly-tipping

Because we pay council tax, we receive the benefit of a regular, free rubbish collection service. Although this is perfect for our everyday waste, there will inevitably be times where our waste exceeds the capacity of our regular household bins and we need to find an alternative way to remove this waste. Despite there being many methods to do this, some, unfortunately, turn to the unethical option of fly-tipping instead. Here, we discuss the negative effects of fly-tipping.

What is fly-tipping?

The term fly tipping refers to the practice of illegally dumping your waste. Rather than taking the rubbish to the tip or hiring a skip or professional waste disposal company, some people dump their rubbish where they hope it cannot be traced back to them, or wherever they seem fit. This can sometimes be on the street, in neighbour’s gardens, or in the countryside.

Not only is this behaviour rude and unsightly, but the effects can also be long term and disastrous.

The negative effects of fly-tipping

•    Some people believe fly-tipping is the only answer as it's free. However, this isn't technically true. Although the fly-tipper doesn’t directly pay anything to get rid of the rubbish, someone has to pay for it. The local authorities and councils are those that end up footing the bill. To raise the required funds, this could end up in an increase in council tax. Not only is this frustrating for the majority of people who dispose of their rubbish legally, but it also puts unnecessary financial pressure on local authorities and means that the designated funds do not go towards other projects that can benefit the community.

•    Fly-tipping makes areas look unsightly and this can have a huge impact on the surrounding area. In some cases, it has been shown to devalue the price of houses surrounding the fly-tipping hotspots. 

•    It is illegal and therefore if anyone is actively caught doing it they can end up with a fine or even a prison sentence.

•    It impacts wildlife, especially as a lot of fly-tipping occurs in the countryside. It is common for wildlife to be severely impacted by fly-tipping. Household waste can contain many toxic ingredients and harmful plastics that can be fatal to wildlife if ingested.

•    These toxic ingredients can also harm people, especially children if they accidentally ingest something.

•    The health impact can become widespread as well, which some people do not take into consideration. Toxic substances can sink into the earth which can stop plants growing in the nearby area and also impact nearby creatures and ecosystems.

•    If the waste disposed of through fly-tipping is general household rubbish such as rotting food, this over time can attract rats, flies and other undesirable creatures that the local neighbourhood will not like having close to their homes

Fly-tipping is a criminal act that affects many people. With so many easy waste disposal options nowadays, there is no reason fly-tipping should still be happening at the rate it is. Although it is only the minority of people that turn to fly-tipping as a viable option, people must understand the true damage fly-tipping can cause - both environmentally and financially. If you ever have waste to get rid of that is bulky then invest in hiring a skip. There are many sizes available to meet your needs and you do not even need to have space to store the skip. If you have nowhere for the skip to go, there are wait and load services as well to get around this. Alternatively, there are waste management companies that can come and pick up specific items you are struggling to dispose of. 

Tips for Garden Clear-Outs

Whether you are completely re-landscaping your garden, getting a patio extension or merely having a tidy, using a skip to remove your garden waste can be really helpful. Here, we share some of our top tips on how to approach a garden clear- out and how to make the most of your skip hire.

Decide which is the best size of the skip

Before starting your garden clear out, decide on what exactly needs to be done. This will give you an idea of what type of waste you will be producing but also how much. Once you know this, it will give you a better idea of which skip size is best. Smaller skips such as 4-yard, 6-yard or 8-yard are perfect for general garden clear-outs. By this, we mean cutting back hedges, clearing away weeds or digging up some turf for new flower beds etc. For more extension landscaping projects, you may want to consider hiring a 6-14 yard skip instead. Always go for a slightly larger skip than you predict you need, as you will be surprised how quickly the waste can build up.

Start composting

Although it requires a little bit of effort, composting can be really beneficial. Not only is compost great for your plants, but it will also reduce the amount of waste you are placing in your skip. It is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to use your garden waste.

Separate your waste

Unfortunately, not all garden waste is easily recyclable. Bearing this in mind, try and separate as much of your waste as possible. Although the contents of your skip will be sorted after it has been collected, it is always a good idea to have it separate from the outset. Recyclable green waste includes grass, weeds, leaves and small twigs. Other items such as large branches, garden furniture, bricks, soil, plant pots and more will fall under the category of general waste. Green waste tends to cost significantly less to dispose of then general mixed waste, so it makes sense to separate the waste where possible.

Specify what your skip hire requirements are

When booking your skip, state what type of waste you will be disposing of. This will allow you to be given the best skip for your needs. Before placing anything in a skip, ensure you check that it is allowed to go in it. Although the majority of garden waste is not a problem, certain items commonly found in sheds such as paint tins etc are classed as hazardous materials and will need to be disposed of separately.

Reduce the bulkiness of garden waste

To make the most of your skip hire, try to reduce the space your garden waste takes up in your skip by cutting up bulky items such as branches. Place leaves, weeds and grass cuttings in bags at the bottom of the skip. Then place heavier items, such as garden furniture on top as this will compress the garden waste and create more space. Having this approach will help you fit your waste into a smaller skip.

Get selling

Before hiring your skip, think about the different types of waste you are planning on getting rid of. Once your skip arrives, it can be tempting to just throw everything into it for convenience. However, you could be missing out on opportunities. Some items may be perfect for selling, allowing you to earn some extra money. Alternatively, some items will be perfect for upcycling. It just takes a bit of creativity and advance planning.

Have a plan of action

Before you start, ensure you have a plan of action. You need to know how much time your garden clearance will take. If you have no idea, then start by clearing a small section of your garden. Time how long this takes and then multiply it until you have a rough idea of how much the rest of the garden will take. It is important to be realistic about your working pace. It is unachievable to expect you to complete a large project quickly. You will need to ensure you factor in enough breaks.

If you have decided to hire a skip to remove your waste, ensure you know where the skip will be stored. Many people have theirs in their front garden, but if this is where your project is taking place, you will need to find an alternative location. If this is the street, then permits will also need to be obtained.

As you start to spend more time in the garden, inevitably you will need to undertake a clear-out. No matter whether it’s a small spruce up or a larger project, hiring a skip to remove your garden waste can be a real time-saver. Not only will it help get the job done more efficiently and quickly, but it will also save tedious and messy trips transporting your garden waste to the local recycling centre. We have shared just some of our top tips to help you get started on your garden projects.

Items NOT to put in a skip- Dangerous Items

Hiring a skip is a convenient way of disposing of household waste. Although skips can accommodate a huge range of items, there are some materials and items that should never be placed in a skip. Here we give you more information about which items you should avoid putting in a skip and some alternative disposal methods.

Skip hire is cheap and convenient. Although much of the waste is recycled there are some items that require particular disposal methods. These are not the responsibility of skip hire. Hazardous items that could cause harm to others are not allowed to be placed in a skip.

Asbestos

Asbestos is harmful and cannot be recycled so it needs to be disposed of by specialist companies. Under no circumstances can you place asbestos in your skip. There are specialist companies you can contact instead to deal with this waste. Specialist companies know how to remove asbestos in the safest way and will dispose of it accordingly. It is illegal to recycle or reuse asbestos, so qualified people should be called to remove the substance and ensure it is being disposed of correctly. Visit https://www.gov.uk/asbestos-in-home to find out how to contact your local council to organize the disposal.

Batteries

You should not place any types of battery into a skip. They contain metals and chemicals that can be harmful and therefore need to be disposed of with care. There are many hazardous materials within a battery, including lead which can be extremely poisonous. Luckily, it is easy to recycle batteries as many supermarkets and DIY stores have containers for old batteries.

Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Fluorescent light bulbs contain mercury which is a harmful substance and therefore not suitable for skip waste. Contact your local council or recycling centre to find out the best place to dispose of them.

Fridges and Freezers

Some local councils will collect your fridge or freezer for free, so it is worth exploring this option. If this is not possible you might need to pay for a specialist collection or take it to your local recycling plant.

Gas Cylinders

Not all skip hire companies are licensed to take gas cylinders, therefore you should always check in advance. Your local recycling centres may be able to recycle them so it is worth contacting them to find out. It does not matter if the gas cylinder is full, half full or empty, you should avoid placing in a skip. In many cases, you can return gas cylinders to the place of purchase and they can reuse and refill them.

Medical Waste

It is understandable that medical waste should not be placed in a skip as it could increase the risk of spreading infection and increased contamination. Get in touch with your local council who can point you to a company that will dispose medical waste on your behalf.

Paint

Paint tins cannot be placed in a skip unless they are completely empty. Contact your local council if you have filled paint tins you need to dispose of. The same rules apply for other solvents, fuels, oils and bleach.

Tyres

Tyres also need to be disposed of separately to general waste. There are organisations that collect tyres. Alternatively, contact your local car garage to see if they can suggest a place that will take them. They may even be able to dispose of them for you.

If you do not adhere to these rules, the skip hire company could refuse to remove the skip from your property or apply an additional charge. If you are unsure about any item you want to dispose of in a skip, please contact us to ensure it is acceptable.

Skip hire is extremely convenient and practical however it is not a one-stop-shop for all of your waste. For legal or practical reasons, some materials are not suitable for skips and so you need to plan ahead and know the correct ways to dispose of your rubbish before choosing your skip size. By being aware of the correct way to dispose of items can help you avoid any additional charges and will also save you time.

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.

5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Skip Hire

Online skip hire has never been easier. The Internet gives us the flexibility to decide which skip size we need and when we need it Whether it's for a general house spring clean, a house renovation, a loft conversation or a garden project, skips can help you manage your waste.

Here are 5 ways for you to make the most of your skip hire

1. Be careful when choosing the skip size

It’s common for people to want to hire the smallest skip in order to save money. People may also choose the smallest skip size because they are concerned they do not have sufficient space to store the skip. Do your research beforehand in order to get the skip size you actually need. Be realistic with the waste you have. If you know it will be a tight fit, then don’t risk hiring the smallest size. Instead, go up a size until you are confident it will be big enough to get rid of all your rubbish in one go. Otherwise you may have to hire another skip at another time, or take several trips to the tip.

2. Use The Space Efficiently

Don’t just throw stuff into the skip. Not only can this be potentially dangerous as it can lead to injuries from straining and lifting heavy items, but you don’t know if children or pets have climbed into the skip. By placing the items carefully in the skip, you can ensure all the space is used. Wherever possible, break the rubbish down to use less space. This is especially effective for packaging boxes and furniture. Ensuring all the space is used efficiently will mean you can fit more waste in, but keep an eye on the levels to ensure you do not overfill the skip.

3. Consider The Timing Carefully

Think carefully about what free time you have to use the skip. It is common to hire a skip for 2 weeks, giving you plenty of time to finish your projects. However, if you think the project will not take that long, consider a one day hire skip. This reduces the need for a permit as the rubbish gets removed immediately. If you plan the timing carefully, you can have the rubbish outside of your home all ready for collection, saving you precious time.

4. Combine Your House Jobs

Rather than having to hire a skip several times, try and time your projects so that you can use the same skip for more than one project. For example, if you are doing a house clear out, do you have time to combat the garden shed clear out you were also planning on tackling at some point? If you have a skip hired for two weeks, you can easily combine your jobs to get the most out of your skip hire.

5. Check what items you want to get rid of in advance

Before you hire a skip, try to plan what items you will need to get rid of. It’s easy to think that skips are able to take away any rubbish for you but this is not the case. Before you hire a skip, read which items you are and are not allowed to place in the skip. Knowing this information in advance will save you from placing any forbidden item in there and will also impact the size of the skip you will need.

Here are just 5 things you should consider before hiring a skip so that you can ensure you make the most of it and are as productive as possible.

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.

Why is plastic so harmful?

We know it has been in the news a lot recently about the damage plastics are doing to the Earth and how it is almost becoming a plastic planet. Plastic has become a huge part of our day to day lives and we may not even be fully aware of how much we use plastics and waste a lot of it. Here we discuss the reasons why plastics are so bad for our environment and what steps we can take on an individual level to try and help.

Reason 1: They take a LONG time to decompose
This is one of the main reasons why plastics are so damaging to our environment. Plastic products vary in how long they take to decompose and the length of time in a lot of cases is shocking. Here are a few examples of typical household items and how long they take to completely biodegrade:

• Toilet Roll - A month
• Cardboard - 2 months
• Plastic Bag - 10-20 years
• Styrofoam cup - Approximately 50 years
• Aluminium can - 200 years
• Plastic Bottle - 450 years
• A nappy - 450 years
• Plastic Straws - Up to 200 years
• Plastic Cutlery – 100-1000 years
• Some plastics - Never

Because plastic is extremely strong it is a desirable product but it is also one that’s difficult to destroy. Because they take so long to decompose, people have tried to suggest alternatives such as burning the plastic, however doing this would produce a lot of harmful pollutants which will have an even worse effect on the environment.

Reason 2: They are cheap
As consumers, we are very strongly driven by price, so when we see something that is both practical and cheap, we are tempted to buy it. A lot of plastic items however are very cheap to buy and cheap for the manufacturers to produce. Changing packaging to something that is fully biodegradable can be a lot more expensive, which is why some manufacturers are put off.

Reason 3: They are not made sustainably
Plastic is manufactured by using coal and crude oil which are both unsustainable sources. We have a limited supply of these materials which is another reason why we shouldn’t be using them all up by making plastics.

Reason 4: They are only being used once
Single use plastics are a main area of concern as the amount of waste they produce is off the scale. People are using the plastics sometimes for a day, hours, if not minutes before they are getting thrown away.

Reason 5: They kill animals
It is horrific to see the impact plastics can have on animals. There is loads of plastic waste entering our oceans each day which is severely affecting marine wildlife like turtles, seals and whales. Some animals are being caught up in the plastics, whereas others are eating the plastic and choking. It is affecting all types of wildlife as well. Even smaller organisms such as plankton are being affected as they are consuming microplastics which are barely visible. 

Reason 6: Humans are eating plastic
Without us even realising, there is a good chance we are consuming traces of plastic fibres and microplastics. In fact, one study suggests that humans can actually be eating the equivalent amount of plastic as a credit card each week! This is a scary thought to consider, however people are unsure of all the details yet.

What can we do?
Although a lot of damage has been caused, we can still carry out some changes to our daily lives to try and reduce the amount of plastic that we use:

• ALWAYS re use your plastic bags if you go shopping rather than buying new ones
• Use paper straws instead of plastic ones
• Be conscious of the products you buy and what packaging they are in. Try and choose items that are packaged in a biodegradable alternative whenever possible
• Use reusable coffee cups and water bottles instead of buying disposable
• Try and get involved in beach clean-ups or other events specifically set up to help clean up the plastics
• Use correct waste disposal. Separate your waste as efficiently as possible to increase the amount of stuff that will get recycled.

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

Does your business correctly dispose of confidential waste?

Running your own business can be difficult enough at times without being hit with a fine for breaching the Data Protection Act.

In the UK businesses are liable for fines of up to £500,000 for failing to effectively dispose of confidential information, but many business owners and employees are unaware of exactly what their obligations are and exactly how devastating a breach can be.

Every day businesses take down sensitive information from customers, clients and other providers which need to be handled with care. This could range from simple addresses and phone numbers to bank details, passwords or other private and personal information. While businesses tend to spend lots of money on physical security such as gates, fences and CCTV cameras, in many cases they fail to give the same adequate protection to confidential data.

However, the risk of failing to protect confidential data is extremely significant. The government estimates that the cost of identity fraud on businesses in the UK to be at least £2billion – not a small amount of money by anyone’s standards and the damage comes in many guises.

First of all there is the risk of fraud or blackmail by whoever manages to obtain the data which could lead to financial losses for your business or your customers. Next, there is the risk of information being stolen by competitors who could hijack projects, copy ideas and steal business leads. There is the risk of massive fines as demonstrated in the Sony customer data leak in which they were fined £250,000 after customer credit card details were leaked. And finally there is the damage to your business’s reputation to consider, something which shouldn’t be taken lightly. Would your business be able to survive such an ordeal?

What can be done?
Securing physical documents in your property by limiting access to the key people that need to access them is one thing, but you also need to process them in a timely manner and only hold them on site for as long as is absolutely necessary. Once information is processed it should be shredded. However, shredding your materials on site and leaving them by your bins is far from foolproof and there have been many instances of documents being pieced back together and stolen by criminals, journalists or a business competitor – which is why it is important to use a secure and trusted service to carry out your shredding for you.

Here at LSPS we offer a complete waste disposal management package to business and offices in Leicester and Leicestershire to help them comply with the latest recycling legislation.

We offer a no obligation meeting at your business or office premises in Leicester and Leicestershire to discuss the most cost effective and practical recycling & waste disposal options available to you.

To find out more please call us on our free phone number: 0800 083 7807 or alternatively click here to contact us via email or to request a call back. 

Is artificial intelligence the future of waste disposal?

A pioneering programme in the United States is showing that AI and robotics could play an important role in the future of waste disposal and recycling.

Alpine Waste & Recycling, a facility in Denver, USA has pioneered a project in which a robotic device has been proven to work more efficiently than its human colleagues. The project, which partnered with AMP robotics and the Carton Council of North America, has announced that their robotic machine was able to pick cartons at a rate of 60 per minute - 20 more than human workers found possible.

The robot, named Clarke, after sci-fi author Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, is equipped with spider-like arms and custom grippers which allows it to separate cartons fast and effectively. Designed by AMP robotics founder Matanya Horowitz the robot is able to quickly identify and pick contaminated objects out of the assembly line that are classed as unsuitable and could contaminate a batch of recycling.

This latest robotic trial follows on from Apple’s success with recycling robot ‘Liam’ who currently dissembles 1.2 million phones every year for the tech giant. Apple’s pioneering robotic worker helps to disassemble a variety of apple products extracting valuable aluminium, copper, platinum, silver, tin and gold reducing the need for mining of precious materials.

Where traditional types of sorting technology would rely on coding for it to differentiate between contaminated and uncontaminated materials, robotic systems are able to learn from example and can begin to understand what to look out for by learning from sample materials.

While in theory robotics could be an enormous help in the UK too, where recycling rates have been getting worse, critics are quick to insist that robotic aids remain expensive and cannot yet handle the complexities of waste management.

Here at LSPS recycling is of great importance to us and we help businesses and individuals all across Leicestershire to reduce the amount of their waste that ends up at landfill sites. Our Waste Transfer Station is open to traders and has an extensive range of state of the art equipment.

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