Skip Types: Your Waste, Smarter & Greener
Think of it like this: You wouldn’t mix garden cuttings with concrete or stack plasterboard on top of old furniture, right?
That’s where we come in!
At Medway Skip Hire Team, we don’t just hand you any type of skip, we help you choose the right one! Right for your waste, budget and the environment. Because when it comes to getting rid of rubbish, knowing what goes where makes a huge difference.
- Avoid costly mistakes (extra fines)
- Get better value (pay for what you need)
- Help the planet (smarter recycling)
Use the guide below to find your perfect fit or give us a call 0800 260 5989 – we are always here to help!
1. Metal Waste Skips
Have a pile of metal lying around? Whether it’s old pipes or broken appliances, a metal waste skip is the way to go. These skips are made to handle all kinds of metal-only waste, from construction cut-offs to factory equipment.
✅ What can go in
- Scrap metal (steel, copper, aluminium etc.)
- Old tools, bike frames, metal fencing
- Fridges/ freezers with gas removed
- Demolition debris and machinery parts
🚫 What to keep out
- Fridges/ freezers with gas still inside (£300 fine)
- Hazardous metal waste (lead, mercury etc.)
- Mixed waste (no general rubbish or wood)
Why Choose a Metal Skip?
✔ Keeps your site safer (no sharp bits mixed in with other waste)
✔ Helps you stay compliant (metal must be recycled)
✔ Avoid a fine (£300 if the wrong thing is put in)
Sizes Available
- 4 yard skip and 12 yard skip (perfect for site work or house clear-outs)
- 20-yard RORO containers (great for factories or large-scale metal disposal)
Hot Tip
Bundle loose wires, separate your metal types if possible (steel vs aluminium) and avoid contamination (all this helps with recycling and keeps costs down).
2. Glass Waste Skips
Broken glass is no joke! Whether you’re tearing out old windows or clearing glass from a renovation site, our glass waste skips make disposal safer and regulation compliant.
If handled incorrectly, you may face fines. That’s why it’s important to load it with care and keep out any non-glass materials like plastic and wood.
✅ What can go in
- Broken glass panes and windows
- Mirrors
- Clean bottles and jars (no food or liquid)
🚫 What to keep out
- Lightbulbs
- Glass with food/ liquid inside
Why It Matters
✔ Safer handling
✔ Faster and cleaner recycling (most glass can be reused within 30 days)
✔ Avoid costly fines for contamination and unsafe disposal
Hot Tips
Wrap sharp edges in cardboard to avoid injury and don’t overfill!
Best Sizes:
- 2-yard skip (perfect for household window jobs)
- 8-yard (great for pub or shop refurbishments)
3. Plasterboard Waste Skip
Plasterboard may seem harmless, but when mixed with general waste, it can cause serious issues – including toxic gas buildup and big fines. That’s why it needs its own skip.
Our special plasterboard skips come in a range of sizes and are ideal for renovations, drywall removals and construction projects.
Quick note: These skips are priced by weight and transport (so keeping things dry can help reduce costs.)
✅ What can go in?
- Clean plasterboard and drywall
- Gypsum-based products only
🚫 What to keep out
- Any mixed waste (even one coffee cup can result in £150 fine)
- Wet plaster or materials exposed to rain
🚫 Banned
- ANY mixed waste (even a coffee cup = £150 fee)
- Wet plaster (hardens and can’t recycle)
Top tips for smooth disposal
✔ Break up large sheets before loading to maximise space
✔ Keep it dry before collection to avoid extra fees
✔ Make sure nothing else gets thrown in by mistake
Best Sizes:
- 4-yard skip (ideal for small bathroom refits)
- 12-yard skips (suits full home renovations)
Size Lies – What the Brochures Don’t Show
That "half-empty" 6-yard skip? If it’s full of bricks, it might already be overweight. I once watched a delivery driver refuse to collect a skip because the customer packed it like a Jenga tower.
Smash plasterboard into gaps (wear a mask!), Lay mattresses flat under heavier items, Cut tree branches into 4ft lengths—they stack like firewood
4. General Mixed Waste Skip
Decluttering? Renovating? Over the pile of random stuff? Our general mixed waste skip is your all-purpose solution for everything that doesn’t need specialist disposal.
✅ What can go in?
- Old furniture and carpets
- Toys, textiles and clothing
- Broken households bits and packaging
- Non-upholstered plastic furniture
- Light garden waste
Perfect for: Garage clean-outs and loft clears
🚫 What to keep out
- Asbestos (serious hazard and may result in a fine – £2,000+)
- Liquids (paint, oils, solvents)
- Electricals (TVs, fridges, computers)
- Batteries or items that could spark
- Large amounts of rubber
Mixing in the wrong stuff could land you with extra fees or delays!
Smart loading tips
✔ Put heavier bits at the bottom
✔ Flatten bulky items to create space
✔ Keep liquids and electronics separate
Best Sizes
- 4-yard (great for light garage or garden clear-outs)
- 16-yard skip (ideal for full house renovations or tenant changeovers)
Get it right to avoid landfill charges (£100+ per tonne)
5. Green or Garden Waste Skip
Let Your Garden Waste Go Green the Right Way!
Doing a seasonal clear-up? Landscaping overhaul? Our garden skips are made just for green waste with no mess and no mix-ups.
✅ What goes in?
- Grass cutting and leaves
- Small branches (under 4 inches thick)
- Dead plants, flowers, hedge trimmings
🚫 What stays out?
- Soil or turf (book a rubble skip instead)
- Japanese knotweed (illegal to transport & serious fines)
- Plant pots, plastic bags or non-organic materials
Even “biodegradable” bags slow down composting so best to leave them out!
Smart Loading Tips
✔ Start with bulkier branches, then layer in soft waste
✔ Skip the bin bags and toss waste straight in
✔ Shake off soil from roots before tossing in plants
Quick note:
Clean green waste gets turned into compost or mulch and lighter loads = cheaper disposal (£40 per tonne vs £120 for mixed)
Best Sizes
- 4-yard skip (perfect for a spring garden tidy-up)
- 10-yard (for bigger landscaping jobs or green-fingered projects)
6. Rubble Waste Skip
Built for Brick, Concrete and the Heavy Stuff!
When the job’s messy and the materials are heavy, our rubble skips step in. Built tough for the really dense stuff – think smashed-up patios, broken concrete, old tiles – these skips are your go-to for building waste that general skips can’t handle.
✅ What goes in
- Bricks, concrete and paving stones
- Floor tiles, ceramics (sinks, toilets)
- Hardcore (solid demolition material)
🚫 What stays out
- Soil or wood
- Plasterboard
- General or green waste
Mixed waste = contamination = fines
Best Sizes:
- 6-yard skip (ideal for garden wall removals)
- 14-yard skip (great for full driveway or patio jobs)
Pro Tips & Info
- Stack rubble neatly to fit more in
- Lightly dampen dust to avoid clouds on-site
- Don’t overfill (this stuff gets heavy fast)
- Clean rubble gets recycled into hardcore for new roads and foundations
- Rubble skips save you money by avoiding mixed waste penalties
7. Asbestos Waste Skip - ⚠️ Licensed Only
Asbestos isn’t your average waste! It’s highly hazardous and must be handled by licensed professionals. If you’re removing asbestos sheets or insulation, we’ll supply the right skip and the trained team to deal with it safely and legally.
✅ What’s allowed
- Asbestos sealed in HSE-compliant bags
- Properly wrapped asbestos sheets
🚫 What isn’t allowed
- DIY removal (illegal and dangerous)
- Loose fibres or unsealed material (£10k+ fines)
What you should know
- Keep asbestos wet to lower dust risk
- One disturbed panel = dangerous airborne fibres
- Requires licensed carriers and 24hr+ notice
Best Sizes
- 8-yard sealed skip (garage roof jobs)
- Large roll-on skips (big site asbestos clearances)
Hazardous Waste – The DIY Trap
It’s just one battery" = £300 fine
Council spotters do check skips. For asbestos/chemicals, book a licensed collector—it’s cheaper than the Environment Agency’s fines.
8. Wood Waste Skip
If your project has left you with a stack of timber, floorboards or old pallets, our wood waste skips are the perfect match.
Designed for wood-only loads, they help keep things eco-friendly and cost-effective by making sure clean wood can be recycled properly and not wasted.
✅ What can go in
- Plain timber (planks, fence panels)
- Wood furniture (non-upholstered)
Quick tip
Strip out nails and screws if you can
🚫 What to leave out
- Painted or varnished wood
- MDF or chipboard (glues and fillers make it unrecyclable)
Best Sizes
- 4-yard skip (small shed clear-outs)
- 12-yard skip (large furniture removals or garden builds)
Recycled clean wood often gets repurposed into biofuel, which powers everything from hospitals to schools. Mixing in the wrong stuff ruins the batch and bumps up your costs.
Skip Type Cheat Sheet
Choosing the right skip isn’t just about size, it’s also about saving time, money and stress. The better you separate your waste, the less you’ll pay. Here’s how to make the smartest choice from the start.
| Project Type | Best Skip | Money-Saving Hack |
|---|---|---|
|
Kitchen remodel
|
8yd Mixed Waste + 4yd Plasterboard
|
Keep clean timber separate
|
|
Garden clearance
|
6yd Green Waste Skip
|
Book during dry weather
|
|
Bathroom demolition
|
4yd Rubble Skip + 2yd Plasterboard
|
Smash tiles down
|
|
Factory clearance
|
40yd RORO Metal Skip
|
On-site sorting = half the price compared to mixed waste
|
Smart Tips to Save You Time & Money
Sort it smart
Keeping wood, metal and green waste separate isn’t just good for the planet, it’s easier on your wallet too.
Know what’s not allowed
Not everything can go in a skip. Things like fridges, asbestos or electronics often need special handling.
Let everyone know
If you’ve got others helping, make sure everyone knows what goes where. One wrong item can cause delays and extra charges.
Do a final check
Before pickup, take a quick look to make sure nothing’s been tossed in by mistake. Fixing it now could save you ££ later
Need the Perfect Skip? We’ve Got You Covered!
✔ Decades of Experience – with over 10 years in the waste game, we know skips inside and out
✔ Licensed & Compliant – fully certified to handle all types of waste the right way
✔ Eco-Minded – we recycle up to 90% of what we collect (less waste, more impact)
Need it fast? Call us for same-day delivery anywhere in the South East of England. From first-time DIYers to seasoned contractors, thousands trust us to get the job done right!
