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The clear-out is going well and the skip’s filling up nicely. Then you come across the things that can’t go in it. There’s a broken fridge to get shot of, an old TV, and four tins of paint at the back of the shed. None of it can go in the skip, but it all still needs to go somewhere.
We get plenty of questions from customers about this, so we’ve put together a guide to the items that can’t go in a skip and how to get rid of them safely and responsibly.
Why it matters
Once we collect your skip, it’s taken back to our site to be sorted, so we can recycle or reuse as much of the waste as possible.
When a prohibited item is put in the mix, it can contaminate the rest of the load and leave much of it unrecyclable. It can also be dangerous for the people handling it. Paint that leaks over a pile of timber means that the job lot is written off. Batteries buried in general waste can spark a fire when the load is tipped and sorted.
It might seem menial, but it adds up as a serious risk for waste and recycling sites. Fires caused by batteries in vapes and electricals are a growing problem for waste carriers across the UK, including here in Norfolk.
Alex, our Office Manager has seen the impact first hand:
“Waste fires are a real issue, and we’ve seen them happen a lot more than you’d think. It’s not the big items that cause them. It’s the smaller things that fly under the radar, and vapes are one of the most common causes we see.
I think it happens so often because people just aren’t aware. It’s unfortunately not common knowledge that lithium batteries need to be disposed of safely, and the packaging doesn’t help. You might get a little crossed-out bin symbol, but nothing telling you where to take it instead. Not many people know that you can’t simply put out a lithium battery fire with water, either. There needs to be more awareness about what shouldn’t go into waste centres, and how much damage it can do to a site when it slips through undetected.
A large, established company could probably take the hit from a fire and keep going. But for a small family business, one incident can be enough to put them under. It’s tragic, and it needs addressing.”
Because of the extra handling and risk involved, prohibited items in a skip do come with a charge. We’ll weigh the whole skip and charge a minimum of £300 + VAT per tonne. Alternatively we can return the items to you, at your cost. Plasterboard has its own rules, which we’ll talk about later.
We’d much rather help you get it right before we collect, as it keeps the risk down and saves you the expense. If you’re unsure about anything, just give us a call.
What can’t go in a skip, and where can it go instead?
Now you know why some things can’t go in a skip, here’s what’s on the no go list and where to take them instead.
Fridges and freezers
Fridges and freezers contain refrigerant gases and insulating foam that need to be removed by a specialist before the rest can be recycled. When a fridge is crushed in a skip, those gases are released into the air. They’re powerful greenhouse gases, and older models contain elements that can also damage the ozone layer.
At a specialist recycling plant, they’re drawn out safely first, and then the metal and plastic can be recycled.
If you’re buying a new one, ask the retailer if they’ll take the old one away when they deliver. Many will, sometimes for a fee. Otherwise, Norfolk’s recycling centres accept household fridges and freezers and safely dispose of them. You can check which sites take them on the Norfolk County Council website.
Tyres
Tyres have been banned from UK landfill since 2003 because they don’t break down. To reduce impact on the environment, they need their own recycling process, where many are reused for things like playground surfaces and sports pitches. Your local garage or tyre fitter will usually take old tyres off your hands for a small charge.
Asbestos
Asbestos was widely used in buildings until it was completely banned in the UK in 1999. It still turns up in older properties, but it’s tricky to remove. You’ll often find it in textured ceilings, old garage roofs, pipe lagging and floor tiles. It’s low risk when left undisturbed, but breaking it up releases fibres that can cause severe respiratory problems. If you think you’ve found some, don’t break it up, and don’t put it in a general skip.
Get it tested first, and if it’s confirmed as asbestos, use a licensed contractor to remove it. For larger projects with more than 4 tonnes of asbestos, we can help with disposal, so give us a call to talk it through. For smaller amounts, Norfolk County Council recommends theAsbestos Removal Contractors Association directory for finding one.
Paints and other liquids
Liquids can’t go in a skip, even if they’re in a sealed container. Tins and bottles get crushed when the skip is loaded and tipped, and whatever’s inside leaks into everything around it. Paint is the exception, so long as it’s dried out.
For small amounts, take the lid off and leave the tin somewhere safe to harden. For larger volumes, mix in sand or paint hardener from a DIY shop. If the paint is still usable and you’d prefer it doesn’t go to waste, Community RePaint has shops in Dereham and Lowestoft that take donations of leftover paint and sell it on at an affordable price.
Fluorescent tubes
Fluorescent tubes and some older energy-saving bulbs contain a small amount of mercury, which is released when the glass around it breaks. Take them to a recycling centre where they’re collected separately, or check if the shop selling your replacements has a take back bin.
TVs and computer monitors
Monitors and screens contain materials that need careful handling. The bulky box style screens have glass that contains lead, and many older flat screens are lit by small fluorescent tubes containing mercury. Both can be released if the screen breaks, which is almost certain once it’s in a skip. They also contain circuit boards and metals that can be recovered and reused when they’re recycled properly.
If the TV or monitor still works, a local charity shop might be glad to have it. Otherwise, take it to a Norfolk recycling centre or ask the retailer if they’ll take your old one when you buy a replacement.
Gas canisters
Gas canisters can explode if they’re crushed, punctured or heated, even when they seem empty, as there’s usually some gas left inside. This poses a real risk for our drivers and the staff sorting the waste.
Larger cylinders, like the ones used for patio heaters and barbecues, usually belong to the gas supplied, so if you can, return them to the stockist or supplier. Smaller camping canisters can go to the recycling centre.
Lithium batteries and unstable substances
Some items are stable on their own but can catch fire, give off toxic fumes or react with other waste once they’re crushed together in a skip. Lithium batteries are the most common culprit. They’re in vapes, phones, power tools and e-bikes, and when they’re damaged they can catch fire without warning. Garden chemicals, pool chemicals and solvents can also react with each other or other waste.
Loose batteries can go in the collection bins you’ll spot in most supermarkets, and shops that sell vapes have to take their old ones back for free. Any chemicals should go to a recycling centre in their original containers, where they’re handled separately as hazardous waste.
Plasterboard
It comes as a surprise to a lot of people that plasterboard can’t go in a general skip. The reason is gypsum, the mineral at its core.
If gypsum ends up in landfill mixed with general waste, it breaks down and releases hydrogen sulphide. It’s a gas that smells like rotten eggs, and can be toxic in high concentrations. Because of this risk, plasterboard must be kept separate from everything else.
Clean gypsy can be recycled into new plasterboard – it just needs to arrive without anything else mixed in.
If plasterboard is found in a general skip, there’s a minimum charge of £150 for the contamination. The easy way around it is to book a plasterboard-only skip alongside your general one.
Our plasterboard skips come in two sizes, midi and large, and you can book either one online.
A bit of sorting goes a long way
We’re a family business, and Norfolk is home. ‘What we dump is our children’s legacy’ so we want to do things right. That’s why every skip that comes back to us gets sorted. Timber, metal, rubble and green waste are all separated out, and 98% of what we receive is kept out of landfill. We’re working on that last 2%.
Keeping the no-go items out is what makes that possible. A clean load is quicker to sort, and more of it can be recycled. You don’t need to do anything clever. Just keep the items we’ve mentioned out of your skip, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Here’s a quick summary of our no-go list and where to take each item instead.
| Material | Where it goes instead |
| Fridges and freezers | Retailer collection when you buy new, or a selected recycling centre. |
| TVs and computer monitors | A charity shop if it works, a recycling centre, or a retailer take back. |
| Tyres | Your local garage or tyre fitter. |
| Asbestos | A licensed contractor (see the ARCA directory) or call us for jobs over 4 tonnes. |
| Paint and other liquids | Dry paint out first or donate usable paint to Community Repaint. |
| Fluorescent tubes | A recycling centre, or a retailer take-back bin. |
| Gas canisters | Return large cylinders to the supplier. Camping canisters can go to the recycling centre. |
| Batteries and vapes | Supermarket battery bins, or the shop that sold the vape. |
| Garden and pool chemicals | A recycling centre, in their original containers. |
| Plasterboard | Our plasterboard-only skip, in midi or large. |
Not sure? Give us a ring
Most of what you’re clearing out can go straight in the skip, and now you know what can’t. If you come across something you’re unsure about, or you can’t tell which skip size you need, give our office a call on 01328 862659 before you book.
When you’re ready, book your skip online, or give us a call if the delivery slot you need isn’t showing.
