If you’ve never hired a skip before, you might be surprised at the rather long list of items that cannot be placed in one.
Most people think that you can dispose of almost anything in a skip but that simply isn’t true.
If you place restricted items in a skip, one of the following will happen:
- You’ll be billed for the correct disposal method including a fee for the extra labour/manpower hours.
- The skip hire company will refuse to collect the skip until you remove the items, which could involve some digging on your part.
- The restricted items will be returned to you.
While every skip hire company is different, most will refuse to accept the items listed below.
We’ve provided you with an alternative disposal method for most of the items:
Restricted List For Skip Hire
1 – Asbestos
17 years after asbestos was banned in the UK, some people still assume that some asbestos products are safe or contain such small amounts of this material that they can be disposed of via a skip.
All asbestos products, including cement-based asbestos, must not be placed in a skip.
Options
If the asbestos isn’t part of a construction project, you should first get in touch with your local council’s waste disposal centre. Some councils offer a free collection service, while some accept wrapped asbestos at drop off centres. If you can’t find a local council that accepts asbestos, you can use the services of a private firm.
We previously asked seven asbestos removal firms to give us a price for the removal of asbestos sheets from a garage. The average price was £633 and the cheapest was £480.
If your asbestos has already been removed from the property, a collection service will be even cheaper.
2 – Plasterboard
Plasterboard has been the curse of the waste disposal industry for years.
The government wants gypsum and other sulphate containing waste to be disposed of separately, as in a landfill it will produce hydrogen sulphide gas. As a result of this policy, you can’t place it in a skip.
Options
If you have more than a bag of plasterboard, you should double-check with your skip hire company as some will:
- Ask you to bag it separately for a small fee.
- Provide you with grab bags for the plasterboard.
- Require you to hire a separate skip.
As every skip company is different, you should phone a few different firms to see what their policies are and how much extra you need to pay before you arrange for skip hire.
In the past, most councils accepted plasterboard waste from households. However, many now deem it to be “building” waste and not “domestic” waste, thus you may be charged a fee to dispose of it at a council waste centre.
3 – Computer Monitors and TVs
These electrical items contain many rare earth metals that should be separated from glass and plastic before going to waste. Thus, they should be recycled rather than tipped into a landfill site.
Options
This is easy, your local council will accept these items, so just drop them off at your local recycling centre instead of placing them in the skip.
4 – Gas Bottles
Needless to say that a gas bottle could still potentially explode, even if it appears empty. Hence why most skip hire firms won’t allow you to place one in a skip.
Options
The good news is that you could actually get some money back by returning the bottle to the manufacturer via one of their approved outlets.
Calor Gas offer refunds for the return of gas bottles.
If that’s not practical for you, get in touch with your local council’s waste disposal centre, most of them accept empty gas canisters.
5 – Fridges and Freezer
Most fridges and freezers manufactured prior to 2000 contain CFC’s in either the refrigerant or the insulation or both.
These chemicals are the main cause of ozone depletion, so fridges and freezers shouldn’t go directly to landfill.
Options
If you’re purchasing a new fridge or freezer, you can ask the supplier to take your old one away. The fee is usually between £20 and £50.
Alternatively, you can take the appliance to your local council’s household waste centre, this is usually free but if you want the council to collect the item, expect a fee between £30 and £50.
A private company will most likely charge upwards of £75, assuming they are legal and will dispose of the item responsibly.
Paint, Fuel and Other Toxic or Harmful Liquids Including Batteries
These can’t be placed in a skip but if they’re from a domestic property, you may be able to dispose of them via your local council’s waste centre.
Japanese Knotweed and Similar Invasive Species
Not all invasive species are as controlled as Japanese Knotweed which is subject to a raft of rules and regulations regarding its disposal.
For this plant, you’ll need to bury any waste on-site and to a depth of 5 metres minimum.
If that isn’t possible, contact a specialist removal firm to give you a price for on-site incineration or get in touch with your local council and see what disposal options they have for you.
Vehicle Tyres
These shouldn’t be placed in a skip as a landfill isn’t the best place for them.
Car and truck tyres can be recycled into new tyres, asphalt and even as an aggregate for concrete products.
Most household waste disposal centres will charge for non-household waste, which includes tyres.
Another option is to phone around tyre fitting firms and inquire about how much they would charge per tyre disposal.
Conclusion
The list above includes all the items that cannot be placed in a skip and sent to a landfill due to regulations.
Your chosen skip hire firm may include other items, these are usually recyclables, so always check before arranging for skip hire.
Cost to Hire a Skip
If you’d like to know what the going rate for skip hire is, check out this guide to skip hire costs.
