Do you have large amounts of waste to dispose of? If so, hiring a skip is a convenient and cost-effective option.
Whether you’re renovating your property, revamping your garden or having a good clear-out, managing your waste responsibly is important. Your skip hire provide will ensure as much of your waste as possible can be recycled, too, rather than all going directly to landfill.
If you want to get the most out of your skip and avoid any delays, it’s important that you fill it up correctly. No matter what type of waste you have or what you’re using the skip for, using the right technique will ensure that you can fit as much waste as possible into your skip while adhering to the load capacity.
It’s also important to bear in mind the items which are prohibited from a skip. Any mistakes may again mean that your skip cannot be collected – or you might face a hefty bill or fine when the skip arrives back at your skip hire firm. Such mistakes take extra time and can be costly, too. That’s another reason it’s important to cover your skip overnight and when it’s unmonitored, to make sure other people don’t fly tip any unwanted items into your skip.
Ensure you fill up your skip correctly and efficiently with our top tips below, helping you save money and avoid any problems down the line.
When hiring your skip, it’s really important to choose the right size. That means taking some time to consider how much waste you’re likely to generate.
If you hire a skip that’s too small for your needs, you could end up paying for a second one – which is very cost inefficient and inconvenient too, when perhaps the next size up might have sufficed.
Your skip hire company will be able to advise you on the correct size to choose based on your project, and the quantity of waste you’ll produce. As a ballpark figure, the waste you can put in the smallest four sizes of skip is:
Most skips come with a fill line – a red line marking on the sides of the skip, which shows you how far up you can fill your skip. Never over-fill a skip – it could be dangerous, and your skip hire firm is likely to refuse to pick it up until it’s been loaded to a safe level. Overfilling your skip is not a way to save money – in fact, it could end up costing you more down the line!
You should also consider weight, as even if the contents of your skip sit beneath the fill line, there is a maximum weight capacity that you cannot exceed – again, for the purposes of safe removal.
Filling a skip efficiently is a bit of a Tetris game – you can fit in plenty if you don’t just chuck it in, willy nilly. Check out our blog here for a reminder on how to sort your items for best fit, and layer them efficiently to make the best use of your skip space.
As mentioned above, there are weight restrictions on your skip load too. It’s always important to discuss weight restrictions with your skip hire company to make sure your waste is likely to sit within safe limits. Many companies have weight restrictions in place based on the size of the skip. You should never exceed this restriction; if you do, the skip hire company will likely refuse to take your skip. Instead, take the time to discuss the weight restrictions with your company and make sure you stick to them. Again, as a ballpark:
4-yard skip will hold 4 tonnes (4,000kg) of waste (about 8 wheelie bins)
6-yard skip will hold 6 tonnes (6,000kg) of waste (about 12 wheelie bins)
8-yard skip will hold 8 tonnes (8,000kg) of waste (about 16 wheelie bins)
12-yard skip will hold 12 tonnes (12,000kg) of waste (about 24 wheelie bins)
While you can dispose of most general waste in a skip, there are some things that shouldn’t go in your skip – and it’s important that you know what these are.
Chemical waste should not be disposed of in your skip, along with laptops, batteries, paint, glue and tyres. If you’re not sure if something can go in your skip, it’s always best to get in touch with your skip hire company. Below is a list of common, safe to skip items, but the list isn’t exhaustive:
Appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, ovens and washing machines can’t be put into your skip. That’s because they have to be stripped down into their constituent parts to safely and responsibly dispose of them, as hopefully some parts can be recycled. Some constituent parts may be hazardous too, to the planet and to people who might handle these items if they were to be found in landfill. Smaller electrical items face the same challenge – your skip hire firm will not take electricals such as computers, laptops and TVs, or microwaves.
Perhaps surprisingly, most skip hire firms won’t take tyres. This is because of their rubber content, which is hard to handle and recycle. If you have old tyres, you should approach a tyre collection and recycling firm, who will remove any oil and dirt from your old tyres and then shred them. This shredded rubber can be recycled, used for construction, road surfaces, or AstroTurf.
Your old tyres got recycled into AstroTurf – so it’s that pesky rubber content which means that AstroTurf cannot be skipped. Check with your firm, as some will collect AstroTurf for an additional fee, but many won’t take it.
Unfortunately, mattresses are one of the most illegally fly-tipped items in the UK. They exceed the fill line of most skips, and are difficult to maneouvre.
If you have an old mattress to get rid of, some companies will collect them and strip them down, recycling their components. If the mattresses is in a decent condition, some charities can make use of them too, such as shelters, as they can be steam cleaned and then used for someone in need.
Batteries may seem so small and everyday, but they are full of harmful chemicals. That’s why they aren’t allowed to be disposed of in your skip. You’ll find battery recycling points at most supermarkets and local disposal centres, so if you’ve got a collection, that’s where to take them. There, they can be safely disposed of, and some parts can even be used – to manufacture materials like plastics, and even to be turned into more batteries.
Gas cylinders contain highly pressurised gas, making them potentially very dangerous should the cylinder become compromised. These should never be disposed of in a skip. Many camping stores, or the store where you initially purchased the gas cylinder, will take them back, where they can be reused, or refilled.
It should be obvious, but harmful and contaminated medical, clinical waste is a big no-no for your skip. Items such as needles can be massively harmful for the person going through your skip waste. This is another really important reason to keep your skip covered when unmonitored, because any waste a passing stranger has deposited in your skip becomes your responsibility.
These are classed as hazardous wastes. Most skip hire companies don’t have the licenses to dispose of these liquid-based solvents. You can sometimes dispose of the containers in a skip, if they are well cleaned out. It is classed as hazardous waste.
Plasterboard seems like a harmless material, but actually it gives off harmful gases. When these mix with other items in a skip, they can cause contamination and can be harmful.
If you’re looking for a skip in the Oxford area, look no further than Hazell & Jefferies – a family-owned business with over fifty years of experience. We offer skip hire along with roll-on roll-off bins, and all of the waste we collect is taken to our recycling centre in Oxfordshire where it’s sorted through. Learn more about our skip hire services here.
