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How to Dispose of Soil Properly (Without Getting Fined)

Clean soil can be reused, given away, or taken in small amounts to your local tip. Bigger piles need a skip or grab lorry. If the soil looks or smells contaminated, you must use a licensed waste carrier for disposal.

By Rachel.J

Rachel writes practical guides on skip hire, waste removal, and responsible disposal in the UK. She explains what you can legally put in a skip, how to handle restricted waste, and what it really costs. Her goal is to give clear, up-to-date advice so households and trades stay compliant and avoid fines.

Reviewed by: Skip Hire Team Waste Compliance Manager | Upper Tier Waste Broker Licence CBDU596771

Last verified:October 29, 2025

You’ve finished digging out a patio, tearing up turf, or doing foundation work. Now you’ve got a mountain of soil sitting on your drive.

What do you actually do with it, without getting fined for dumping it in the wrong place?

We handle soil disposal every day for homeowners, landscapers and small builders across England, Scotland and Wales. This guide walks you through the legal, simple and cost-effective options.

Step 1. Identify What Type of Soil You Have

Not all soil is treated the same. The type decides the cost and the rules.

1. Clean Topsoil

What it is: Dark, rich soil with organic matter (worms, roots, compost).
Where it comes from: Lawn removal, raised beds, garden projects.
Why it’s valuable: People will actually take this off you for reuse.

Typical cost to remove in bulk: £250–£330 for an 8-yard skip.

Best option: Reuse it yourself or give it away before you pay to dispose of it.

2. Subsoil / Clay

What it is: Heavy, pale, sticky when wet. Often dense clay or chalky spoil from deep digging.
Where it comes from: Footings, drainage trenches, extensions, driveways.
Value: Low for reuse, but still classed as “inert” if it’s clean.

3. Contaminated Soil

Red flags: Oil stains, chemical smells, mixed with concrete/brick, rainbow sheens
Common sources: Old petrol stations, industrial sites, pre-1980s buildings
Disposal cost: £300-£800+ per load (depends on contamination type)
Legal requirement: Must go to licensed hazardous waste facilities

If there’s any chance your soil is contaminated, get it tested before disposal. This saves time, money, and prevents potential legal issues.

Step 2. Choose the Best Disposal Option

Once you know what kind of soil you’re dealing with, here are your best options for disposal.

Use the soil to:

Level sunken areas in the garden
Build raised beds or borders
Backfill low spots along fences
Raise ground levels ahead of turfing

Quick tip: Even if you can only use half of it, that’s still less you need to dispose of.

Option 2: Give It Away

One person’s soil problem is another’s gardening goldmine. We’ve seen customers successfully give away soil through:

Facebook local groups – post a photo and you’ll often get multiple takers
Nextdoor app – brilliant for reaching neighbours who might need soil
Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace – list it for free or charge a small fee
Local allotments – many are crying out for good soil

Pro tip: Be honest about what you’re offering. Nobody wants to collect “topsoil” only to find it’s full of clay and rubble.

Option 3: Take It to Your Local Tip / HWRC

Most household waste recycling centres in the UK will take small amounts of clean soil, but there are rules:

Common restrictions we see:

Usually 2–3 car boot loads per visit
Proof of address required (you must be a resident of that council)
Clean soil only (no bricks, no hardcore, no chemicals)
Some councils now charge £5–£20 per visit for soil and rubble
You may have to book a slot in advance

They will refuse contaminated soil. If it smells like oil or has building waste mixed in, they will turn you away.

This option is fine if you’ve got “a few bags.” It’s not practical for a driveway full.

Option 4: Hire a Skip (Our Recommendation)

For larger quantities of soil, hiring a skip is often the most practical solution. Here’s what we recommend based on the size of your project:

For Garden Projects:

4-yard skip – perfect for most garden clear-outs. Its capacity is 6-8 tons of soil, and the price range is between £180-£250 (including disposal)

8-Yard Medium Skip – Most Popular choice for Extension foundations, large landscaping, capacity 2-15 tons of soil and price range between £220-£330, Hire period: 2-3 weeks

12-Yard Skip – Ideal for major projects with a capacity of 8-22 tons. Price range is between £440-£455 (including disposal)

Additional costs to consider

Permit for road placement: £50-£90 (we arrange this)
Extended hire: £30 per day
Contaminated soil surcharge: £100-£300 depending on type

Important: Soil is extremely heavy. Overfilling past the “fill line” is illegal for transport and we won’t be able to lift it. We’ll advise you on size so you don’t pay for two collections.

Option 5. Grab Lorry Collection

If you’ve got a big pile of soil in an open area with good access, a grab lorry can load it directly over a fence or wall using the crane arm.

Best for:

Driveway dig-outs
Large landscaping jobs
Sites where a skip can’t sit for long

Step 3. Know the Legal Side (So You Don’t Get Fined)

Soil is waste once you decide you don’t want it. That means it’s regulated.

Here’s what matters:

1. Duty of Care

You’re legally responsible for where that soil ends up. If you hand it to “some guy with a van” and he fly-tips it, councils can (and do) trace it back to you.

2. Licensed Carrier Only

For anything beyond “I reused it in my own garden,” you should be using a registered waste carrier. We operate as an Upper Tier Waste Carrier (CBDU596771), which means we can legally move clean, inert and contaminated spoil.

3. Paperwork

For commercial or building work, you should receive a waste transfer note that shows where the soil was taken. Keep it. It protects you.

4. Fines

Fly-tipping can lead to on-the-spot penalties from councils and much larger fines in serious cases. We’ve seen homeowners billed because a landscaper dumped their spoil in a lay-by.

Bottom line: Make sure whoever takes your soil can prove they’re licensed.

How Much Does Soil Disposal Cost?

DIY Options

Local tip: Free (if they accept it)
Giving it away: Free (but you provide transport)

Professional Disposal

Book Skip hire: From £150-£455 depending on size and location
Grab hire: From £200-£500 for larger quantities
Contaminated soil: Custom pricing. It has to go to a licensed hazardous or specialist facility

Disposal Method	Cost Range	Success Rate	Best For
Reuse on-site	£0	40%	Small quantities, clean soil
Give away free	£0	65%	Clean topsoil, patient customers
Council tip	£0-£20	30%	Car boot quantities
Skip hire	£180-£455	95%	Most situations
Grab lorry	£200-£500	100%	Large quantities, access issues

If you’re trying to decide between a skip and a grab lorry, here’s the rule of thumb we give customers:

If the soil is already in one pile and the lorry can reach it, grab is usually faster and cheaper.
If you’re still generating soil over a few days (digging as you go), a skip is easier because you can load gradually.

Why Choose Skip Hire Team for Soil Disposal

When you’re getting rid of soil, you don’t just want “a skip.” You want it gone legally, without drama.

Here’s how we work:

Same-day quotes over the phone, no hidden extras
Flexible delivery and collection windows so you’re not stuck waiting
We handle permits with the council if the skip needs to sit on the road
We accept clean, inert, heavy spoil (and can advise on anything contaminated)
We’re fully licensed and insured, so you’re covered if anyone asks where that soil went

Don’t Just Dump It

Soil might look harmless, but dumping it in a field, woodline or skip that isn’t authorised can get expensive fast.

What can go wrong:

Council penalties (we’ve seen fines of £400+ for small fly-tip incidents)
Neighbours reporting you
Environmental damage if the soil is contaminated
You get billed to clean it up anyway

It’s always cheaper to do it properly the first time.

Get Your Free Soil Disposal Quote

That pile on your driveway doesn’t have to sit there for a week.

Here’s the fastest way to get rid of it legally:

Send us a quick photo of the soil pile so we can see volume and access
Tell us the postcode
We’ll tell you if you’re better off with a skip, a grab lorry, or a one-off pickup

Get your free quote in 2 minutes: