Kind of Things Are You Not Allowed To Dispose of in a Skip?

There are many reasons why people look for companies with a skip for hire in Manchester or the rest of the country. This includes landscaping projects, house clearances, minor and major renovations, or just a general spring clean. Some people think it is ok to just throw anything into a skip, whether it is their own or anyone else’s. However, this could not be further from the truth. Putting unsuitable items into a skip you have rented could end up with you being hit with additional charges or having the items removed from the collection and left at your property. 

Now we understand that not many of us are experts in waste disposal, so we may well not be au fait with what you can and cannot put into a hired skip. There are some grey areas when it comes to waste disposal, and our advice would always be to err on the side of caution.  

Things not allowed in skips

Hazardous Waste

In general, waste is labelled as hazardous if it poses a risk to the environment. This would include substances like asbestos, insecticides, acids, liquids, and oils.

Any containers used to store hazardous waste are also prohibited from being placed in skips.

Electrical Appliances and Other Items

Refrigerators, for example, contain chemicals that might be harmful to the environment. Instead of placing them in domestic waste or hired skips, all electrical equipment and household items should be brought to a recycling facility. Manufacturers of appliances occasionally gather recyclables.

Lead Acid Batteries 

Batteries are not allowed in skips because they contain acid, along with battery packs.

Gas Cylinders or Tanks

Gas bottles are accepted by some recycling facilities. Recycle Now allows you to recycle them and will provide information about local authority centres that will accept them. 

Fluorescent Light Bulbs

The more recent energy-saving fluorescent bulbs may be recycled at nearby recycling facilities, unlike the older types of light bulbs, which cannot be recycled and can simply be thrown away in your garbage.

Tyres

Ask your local authority if any of their recycling facilities will take old tyres. Additionally, several tyre manufacturers and speciality companies recycle used tyres.

Paints

Paints should be thrown away in the right way because the chemicals they contain could hurt the environment. You can either let it dry on paper or cardboard and toss it in the garbage, or you could think about giving away any extra paint.

Glues/Solvents

Similar to paints, glues and solvents can be thrown out with your regular rubbish if they have dried on cardboard or paper. Alternatives include specialised services for disposing of adhesive waste or contacting your skip hire company for guidance.

Human or Medical Waste

Medical or human waste cannot be placed in your domestic trash or in skips that you have rented. You can ask the government to pick up your clinical waste by clicking on the link below: https://www.gov.uk/request-clinical-waste-collection

Where Can I Obtain Further Details About How to Dispose of Anything Listed Above Safely?

On the government website, you may find additional information about how to dispose of hazardous waste in a safe and secure manner and without the risk of being hit with a financial penalty. 

What we would say is that if you hire a skip, always check with the company what is and what is not permitted in the skip to ensure you encounter no problems when it is collected. Hopefully, the information contained in this short article will steer you in the right direction.