What Can You Put in a Skip? | JustHire

You might be surprised at just how much you can put in a skip. From general household waste to building waste, there are many things that can be disposed of in a skip. However, there are also some hazardous items that can't be placed in a skip. If you fill your hired skip with any of these items, you could be charged heavily, or the skip hire company may refuse to collect the skip.

Follow our guide to dispose of all your waste without a hitch.

What You Can Put in a Skip?

Things that can be put in a skip include:

• Construction Waste: Timber, rubble, tiles, ceramics and bricks

• Inert Waste: Aggregates and soil.

• General Waste: Items that go in black bin bags as part of your weekly black bin collection.

• Domestic Waste: Food waste and packaging, clothes.

• Green Garden Waste: Grass clippings, flowers, weeds, leaves, branches and shrubbery.

• Paper & Cardboard: Packaging or promotional cards.

• Plastic: Plastic bottles, detergent bottles, etc.

• Glass: Glass bottles, green house glass and glass panels can be put into a skip.

• Commercial or Trade Waste: old bathroom and kitchen fittings

• Metal: Drink cans, foil, bedframes.

• Wood: Old wood flooring, scrap wood from DIY.

If you have any of the waste items above that need disposing of, a skip could be a great option.

What You Can Put in a Skip Summary

• Construction Waste

• Inert Waste

• General Waste

• Domestic Waste

• Garden Waste

• Cardboard

• Plastic

• Glass

• Commercial or Trade Waste

• Metals

• Wood

Follow the list above, and your waste disposal should run smoothly. However, always check with the waste management company, as they may have their own regulations regarding their services.

What You Can't put into a Skip?

Unfortunately, certain items cannot be placed in a skip. Items that cannot be put into a skip are any hazardous waste, which could cause harm.

Skips are open-topped and can be accessed by anyone and anything. If a skip is placed on a public road, it cannot contain hazardous materials that could be accessed by the public. It is also important not to put items in the skip that the skip company cannot dispose of. These special items must be disposed of in a particular way by specialist recycling plants.

If you put these items in a skip, the skip company will either refuse to collect the skip or charge you a large fine.

Items that cannot be put in skips Include:

• Electrical Appliances / Electrical Equipment: Televisions, computer monitors, washing machines, fridges, microwaves, etc. Any item that you would plug into wall would be deemed an electrical appliance and cannot be put in a skip. Due to the WEEE directive, all electrical equipment needs to be taken to a registered recycling centre.

• Tyres: Old car or bike tyres are not allowed in a skip. Take them to your local garage.

• Mattresses: Mattresses are challenging to dispose of due to their complex composition of multiple materials. Additionally, their bulky and cumbersome nature classifies them as large waste items. Some skip providers offer mattress disposal services for an additional fee.

• Upholstered Seating and Furniture: Sofas, armchairs, futons, bean bags, foot stools and cushions cannot be put in a skip. As of January 1, 2023, the Environmental Agency has stated that any upholstered seating must be disposed of as hazardous waste due to containing POPs (persistent organic pollutants).

• Plasterboard: Under government guidelines, plasterboard cannot go in skips without a licensed provider. Gypsum in plasterboard can release toxic gases if mixed with biodegradable waste, so regulations require its separation.

• Asbestos: Used in construction work for many years, asbestos must never be placed in a skip and requires specialist disposal.

• Harmful Chemicals: Includes anything that could be harmful to people and the environment, such as solvents and glue.

• Fluorescent Tubes / Fluorescent Bulbs : Contain mercury and cannot be put in a skip.

• Medical Waste: Includes biological waste or bodily fluids.

• Batteries: Contain harmful battery acid and therefore batteries cannot be put in a skip and must be taken to a recycling centre.

• Paint Cans & Paint Tins / Paint Solvents: Filled paint tins cannot be put in a skip and need to be disposed of at a recycling centre or local tip.

• Oil/Petrol/Diesel: Extremely flammable and should never be put in a skip.

• Gas Cylinders & Used Cylinders: Must be taken to recycling centres or back to the business from which they were purchased.

• Animal Waste: Including deceased animals, fur, feathers, and excrement must not be put in a skip and must be disposed of in a specialised manner.

What Can't be put into a Skip Summary

• Electrical appliances / Electrical equipment

• Tyres

• Upholstered seating (including sofas)

• Asbestos

• Harmful chemicals

• Fluorescent tubes

• Medical waste / Clinical Waste

• Batteries

• Filled paint tins

• Oil/petrol/diesel

• Gas cylinders

• Animal waste

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What happens if you put restricted items in a skip?

If you put restricted items in a skip in the UK, several outcomes can occur, depending on the type of item and the skip provider’s policies:

1. Extra Charges: Most skip hire companies will add a surcharge for any restricted items they find during collection or disposal, as these items require special handling.

2. Refusal to Collect: The skip provider may refuse to collect the skip until the restricted items are removed, which can cause delays and potential additional fees if you need to extend the hire period.

3. Fines and Legal Penalties: Certain restricted items, such as hazardous materials, can lead to fines or legal action if they’re improperly disposed of. UK waste disposal regulations prohibit items like asbestos, batteries, and electrical appliances in general waste skips to prevent environmental harm.

4. Environmental Impact: Restricted items can contaminate other waste in the skip, complicating sorting and recycling efforts and increasing landfill waste.

To avoid these issues, always check with your skip provider for a list of restricted items and follow local disposal guidelines for hazardous or specialised waste.

What You Can and Cannot put in a Skip Summary

We hope this guide was helpful in understanding what can and cannot be disposed of in a skip. If you are unsure if something can go in the skip, the general rule of thumb is to contact the skip hire company first to see their prohibited items. Each skip hire service may have different rules.

Now, if someone asks you, "What can you put in a skip?" you can confidently answer.

Still confused about what you can put in a skip?

Please contact us by emailing contact@justhire.com. One of our friendly customer service representatives will be more than happy to help.