What can I put in a skip?

If you are planning to hire a skip, one of the most common questions we get asked is: “what can I put in it?”

Whether you are planning a home renovation, garden clearance, office refurbishment, or construction project, understanding what domestic or commercial waste is permitted helps ensure your skip hire runs smoothly, safely, and in line with UK regulations

At Allstone Speedy Skips, we aim to make skip hire straightforward, transparent, and environmentally responsible, with clear guidance from booking through to collection.

What waste can go in a mixed waste skip?

We offer a range of skip options to suit different projects, but mixed waste skips are the most commonly used. They’re suitable for most general household and non-hazardous construction waste, making them a practical choice for a wide variety of jobs.

The following materials are accepted for disposal in our skips for both domestic and commercial projects, including home renovations, property clearances, landscaping works, and construction activities:

• Wood, timber, and wooden fixtures
• Bricks, concrete, hardcore, tiles and rubble
• Garden waste including soil, turf, branches, hedge cuttings, and tree trimmings
• Furniture, including bedframes, wardrobes and tables
• Carpets, flooring, and underlay
• Metal waste, including scrap metal, metal fixtures, and metal offcuts

We collect specialist items too

Some waste items require specialist disposal due to their handling, treatment, or recycling requirements.

While these materials can be collected by Speedy Skips, they are not available to book online and must be arranged directly with our team. They cannot go in a mixed waste skip.

Specialist waste items include:

• Fridges and freezers
• Plasterboard, including foil backed or film backed plasterboard
• Vehicle or machine tyres and tracks
• Paint cans, solvents, mastics, and aerosols
• Televisions and monitors
• Mattresses, sofas, sofa beds, padded armchairs, futons, cushions and bean bags
• Fluorescent tubes
• Air conditioning units and water coolers
• Large tree roots and tree stumps

These items are subject to additional disposal charges, which will be clearly confirmed before collection.

Contacting our team in advance ensures the correct skip, handling method, and disposal route are arranged, helping to avoid delays or unexpected costs.
If you are unsure whether your waste requires specialist disposal, our team will be happy to advise before your booking is confirmed.

What cannot go in a skip?

Certain materials are strictly prohibited from standard skips due to environmental and safety regulations.

These include:

• Liquids, including oils, lubricants, and flammable substances
• Gas bottles, cylinders, fire extinguishers, and pressurised containers
• Lead acid batteries, vapes or containers of acid
• Hazardous, toxic, clinical, or medical waste

Placing prohibited items in a skip may result in collection refusal or additional costs.

Paint Tins and Liquid Waste (Clarification)

Liquid waste is not permitted in skips due to safety and environmental regulations. This includes liquids such as oils, solvents, and wet paints.

Empty paint tins can be accepted, provided the paint is completely dry and the lid has been removed. This allows our team to clearly see that there is no liquid paint inside.
If a paint tin is placed in a skip with the lid still on, it will be assumed to contain liquid paint and may be treated as specialist waste, which can result in additional handling requirements.

If you are unsure whether a paint tin is suitable for disposal in your skip, it’s always best to check with our team in advance.

Asbestos disposal

Asbestos and asbestos-suspected materials require specialist handling. A dedicated enclosed asbestos skip must be used, and all asbestos waste must be double wrapped, bagged, and clearly labelled in line with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidelines. Asbestos skips are collected on specific days, and our team will confirm collection requirements in advance.

Responsible Recycling

Responsible waste management is an important part of skip hire. Most of the waste we collect is sorted and recycled, with up to 98% diverted away from landfill wherever possible.
All waste is handled in line with environmental legislation and health and safety requirements, from collection through to processing and disposal. This approach helps reduce unnecessary landfill use and supports more sustainable waste management practices across domestic and commercial projects.

By understanding how waste is managed after collection, customers can be confident their skip is being used responsibly.

How much can I put in my skip?

For safety and compliance, skips must not be overfilled or overloaded. Skips can only be filled up to the level of the skip sides. If a skip is overfilled, the driver will be unable to collect it until excess waste has been removed.

All Speedy Skips vehicles are fitted with on-board weighing systems, and every collection is subject to a maximum vehicle weight limit. These limits vary depending on the type of lorry used and the access available at the site. Heavy materials such as soil, rubble, concrete, and bricks can reach weight limits quickly, so selecting the correct skip size is essential.

A Few Additional Things to Be Aware Of

There are a few practical points worth keeping in mind when hiring a skip. Particularly around placement, hire duration, and safety.

If a skip is placed on private land, such as a driveway or off the public highway, it is the customer’s responsibility to ensure the ground is suitable and protected. Skips and their contents can be heavy, so using boards or protective sheets can help reduce the risk of surface damage.

Skips are typically hired for a set hire period. Once you have finished with your skip, it’s important to let our team know so collection or exchange can be arranged. If you need to keep your skip for longer, this can usually be organised by contacting us in advance.

If you are unsure about placement, hire periods, or specific items, our team is always happy to offer guidance before your skip is delivered.

Skip Types Explained

• Standard Open Skip
Suitable for general waste, household clearances, and construction materials where easy access is required.

• Dropend Skip
Features a hinged door for walk-in access, making it ideal for wheelbarrows, bulky items, and ongoing projects. These can be delivered with the dropend ‘load side’ or ‘road side’ – your preference will be taken at point of order.

• Enclosed Skip
A lockable skip designed for secure waste storage, helping prevent unauthorised use and protecting contents from weather.

Skip Sizes Available

Mini Skip

Mini skips are the smallest skips we supply and are ideal for small household and garden projects.

• Size: approximately 0.75m high x 1.5m long x 1.2m wide
• Capacity: 2 yard skip
• Holds approximately 30 black bin bags

Midi Skip

Midi skips are suitable for larger household clear outs and light commercial waste.

• Capacity: 3 yard and 4 yard skips
• Holds approximately 40 black bin bags

Builder’s Skip

The most popular skip size, commonly used within the building trade and for larger domestic renovations.

• Capacity: 6 yard and 8 yard skips
• Holds approximately 75 black bin bags
• Available as standard, dropend, and enclosed and lockable options

Large Skip

Large skips are taller than standard builder’s skips and are suitable for major renovation and construction projects.

• Capacity: 12–14 yard skips
• Holds approximately 200 black bin bags

Specialist Skips

Allstone can supply a range of specialist lifting skips and small site tipping skips, depending on site requirements and access restrictions.

Roll-On Roll-Off Containers (RoRo)

For large scale projects and ongoing contracts involving high volumes of waste, Allstone can provide roll-on roll-off containers in various sizes:

• 15 yard (suitable for heavy materials)
• 20 yard
• 40 yard

If you are unsure which skip size or type is most suitable for your project, our team will be happy to advise based on your waste type, weight requirements, and site access.

Reliable skip hire you can trust

If you need advice on skip hire, permitted waste, or specialist disposal, our team is ready to help. Give us a call today on 01452 536536 or email info@allstone.co.uk.