Skip Waste Types: What You Can Put in Different Skips

General Waste Skip

A general waste skip is suitable for everyday household clearances, office cleanouts, and small renovation projects. It typically accepts:

• Packaging waste
• Plastics
• Soft furnishings
• Clothing
• Toys
• Light household rubbish
• Small furniture
• Non hazardous waste

General waste skips are ideal for home projects, rented property clearances, and commercial waste disposal where mixed waste streams are involved. Most small to medium skip sizes can accept general waste, but it is imperative to avoid contamination with restricted or hazardous waste to comply with waste management regulations.

Garden Skips and Green Waste Skip Loads

Garden skips are designed specifically for biodegradable and green waste materials, including:

• Grass cuttings
• Hedge trimmings
• Leaves
• Small branches
• Plants
• Turf
• Compost
• Green waste

You can also put soil in a garden skip if the skip size is suitable and designed for heavy ground waste. Larger skip sizes are usually unsuitable for soil or heavy green waste because they can exceed weight limits and may require a specialist inert waste skip.

Soil Skips and Mixed Inert Waste Skip Loads

Soil skips are used for heavy inert materials such as:

• Soil
• Mud
• Sand
• Clay
• Subsoil
• Spoil from landscaping or construction projects

These waste types are classed as inert waste, meaning they do not decompose, burn, or chemically react with the environment. Due to their weight, only specific skip sizes (typically six to eight cubic yards) are suitable for soil and mud to ensure safe transport and compliance with weight restrictions.

Rubble Skips and Hardcore Skip Loads

Construction and demolition projects often generate inert waste materials that are stable and non-reactive. Common examples include:

• Bricks
• Rubble
• Concrete
• Stones
• Ceramics
• Tiles
• Sand
• Gravel
• Hardcore

Rubble and hardcore skips are perfect for small building projects, driveway removals, wall demolitions, and other structural works. Because these materials are heavy, only small and medium skip sizes are suitable to prevent overloading and to comply with waste disposal regulations.

Mixed Waste Skip

Mixed waste skips offer flexibility by accepting a variety of waste types simultaneously, such as:

• Wood
• Metal
• Plastics
• Packaging
• Light construction waste
• Non hazardous materials
• Furniture
• Household waste

These skips are popular for property renovations, shopfitting, commercial refurbishments, and building projects producing different waste streams. However, mixed waste skips are not suitable for heavy materials like soil, hardcore, or plasterboard unless these are separated to avoid contamination and additional disposal costs.

Metal Skips

Metal skips are used for collecting significant amounts of scrap metal and offcuts, including:

• Radiators
• Pipes
• Sheet metal
• Metal fixtures
• Scrap metal from construction or industrial sites

While small quantities of metal can be placed in mixed waste skips, large volumes require dedicated metal skips to facilitate efficient recycling processes and reduce disposal costs.

Plasterboard Skip Loads

Plasterboard is classified as restricted waste and must be separated from other waste streams due to its chemical properties. When mixed with biodegradable waste, plasterboard can produce harmful gases, making proper disposal imperative.

Typical plasterboard skip loads include:

• Plasterboard sheets
• Offcuts
• Broken pieces
• Drywall
• Gypsum-based materials

Plasterboard must never be placed in a general waste skip unless it is completely separated and securely bagged. Many customers opt for dedicated plasterboard skips to ensure compliance with UK waste regulations and avoid contamination fees.

Plastic Skip Loads

Plastic waste suitable for skip disposal includes:

• PVC materials
• Buckets
• Packaging
• Plastic fittings
• Lightweight plastic furniture

These items can be disposed of in mixed waste skips, general waste skips, or commercial skips. For larger volumes generated by commercial or retail sites, roll-on roll-off skips are often the most cost-effective and suitable option.