Skip Types: Your Waste, Smarter & Greener
Why settle for “just a skip” when your waste deserves a VIP treatment?
When disposing of waste, some materials require specialized skips or professionals to remove them—like plasterboard, broken glass, and more.
Most skip hire companies typically offer the same general-purpose skips to handle everything from household waste to construction debris.
But what if your waste needs more than just a standard skip? At Skip Hire Team, we believe every type of waste deserves its own special treatment. After all, not all waste is created equal. Your rubble doesn’t mix well with garden waste, and plasterboard definitely doesn’t play nice with mixed materials. Get it wrong, and you could end up with fines, safety risks, or a recycling fail.
But here’s the good news: Picking the perfect skip is like choosing the right tool—it saves you cash, hassle, and helps the planet. Whether you’re a DIY hero, a construction pro, or just drowning in clutter, our guide reveals the secrets to:
✅ Dodge hidden costs (like £150+ penalties for banned items).
✅ Skip the sketchy stuff (asbestos? Chemicals? We’ve got licensed solutions).
✅ Recycle like a boss (90% of skip waste gets reborn—if sorted right).
Below, the ultimate cheat sheet to skip types—no jargon, just clarity.
📞 Stuck? Call Skip Hire team at 0800 260 5989 —we’ll match you with the perfect skip in 2 minutes.
1. Metal Waste Skip
A metal waste skip is designed specifically for disposing of scrap metal and other metal-based materials, including large and bulky items such as metal scrap, construction debris, and machinery parts. Due to its durability and strength, it’s an ideal choice for high-volume industrial or commercial waste.
Don’t mix any non-metal waste to avoid additional charges. Pricing varies depending on the amount of metal and the size of the skip you need and usually works on flat rate.
We offer metal skips from 4 to 12 yard large skips, and for bigger needs, we have 20 and 40 yard RORO containers.
The skip that pays you back! Scrap metal is too valuable to trash – recycle it right and save cash.
✅ Allowed:
- Scrap metal (pipes, wires, old tools)
- White goods (fridges/freezers after gas removal)
- Construction and demolition debris
- Machinery parts and metal components
🚫 Banned:
- Fridges with coolant still inside (£300 fine)
- Hazardous metals (lead, mercury thermometers)
Why It Matters:
✔ Safety: Sharp edges won’t injure workers
✔ Legal: Businesses must prove metal recycling
✔ Metal waste needs to be segregated to avoid contamination with other materials and to comply with recycling regulations.
How to Use It:
- Separate metals by type (steel/aluminium) → Better prices
- No loose wires—bundle them
Best Sizes:
- 4 yard skip: 10-15 washing machines
- 20-yard RORO: Factory machine clearances
Waste Types – The Hidden Cost Trap
Landfill taxes make mixed waste skips stupidly expensive. Separate your metal, clean timber, and garden waste—I’ve seen customers save £200+ on an 8-yard skip just by sorting.
Keep your supplier’s banned items list saved on your phone.
2. Glass Waste Skip
Broken glass is a hidden hazard. To dispose of glass and glass waste from demolition or renovation projects safely use our glass waste skip.
Glass is dangerous to handle due to its sharp edges and safety concerns, so fill the skip with proper care and don’t break it into small shards to avoid injuries. Make sure to remove any non-glass materials like plastic or wood before placing it in the skip.
Toss it safely or risk £5k fines – we make it simple.
✅ Allowed:
- Broken windows, mirrors
- Bottles/jars (if not mixed with trash)
🚫 Banned:
- Glass with food/liquid still inside
- Lightbulbs (need special recycling)
Why It Matters:
✔ No injuries: Workers won’t get cut (avoid £5k fines)
✔ Fast recycling: Glass melts down in 30 days
How to Use It:
- Wrap sharp edges in cardboard
- Don’t overfill—broken glass settles and spills
Best Sizes:
- 2-yard skip: 10-15 window panes
- 8-yard skip: Pub/club renovations
3. Plasterboard Waste Skip
Plasterboard is a common waste product from home renovations and crucial to dispose of plasterboard properly. For efficient plasterboard waste removal, choose our specialized plasterboard skips. Our plasterboard skips come in a variety of sizes to fit your project.
These skip types are charged by the weight of the load and transportation costs. To cut down the disposal cost, cover it with tarpaulin to help keep it dry.
The ‘no exceptions’ skip! Even one coffee cup ruins the whole load – we’ll help you get it right.
✅ Allowed:
- Only plasterboard/drywall
- Gypsum-based products
🚫 Banned:
- ANY mixed waste (even a coffee cup = £150 fee)
- Wet plaster (hardens and can’t recycle)
Why It Matters:
✔ Toxic gas risk: Mixing = hydrogen sulphide in landfills (illegal)
✔ Rebirth: 100% gets turned into new plasterboard
How to Use It:
- Keep it dry (no rain before pickup)
- Break large sheets inside the skip
Best Sizes:
- 4-yard skip: Small bathroom reno
- 12-yard skip: Whole-house drywall
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
This skip type is perfect for mixed waste, including household rubbish, garden waste, and other non-hazardous materials.
✅ Allowed:
- Household waste (e.g., old furniture, toys, and carpets)
- General rubbish (e.g., broken household items, non-recyclable plastics like packaging, bags, and wrappers)
- Garden waste (when it’s not too bulky or specific to composting)
- Textiles (e.g., old clothes or non-reusable fabric items)
- Plastic furniture (non-upholstered items)
🚫 Banned:
- Asbestos (even a tiny bit = £2k+ cleanup)
- Liquids (paint, oil)
- Rubber
- Electronics (e.g., TVs, fridges, computers – these require special recycling)
Why It Matters:
✔ Landfill tax: Overfilling costs £100/tonne extra
✔ Hidden hazards: One battery can ignite the load
How to Use It:
- Flatten boxes/furniture to fit more
- Heavy items (bricks?) go at the bottom
Best Sizes:
- 4-yard skip: Garage clear-out
- 16-yard skip: Full house strip
5. Green or Garden Waste Skip
Green or garden waste skips are specially designed for organic materials that come from gardens, lawns, and landscaping projects, including leaves, grass, branches, and small plants. Make sure, not to mix other waste with garden waste
Nature’s perfect recycling! Turn weeds into compost – just keep the soil out.
✅ Allowed:
- Grass, leaves, branches (<4″ thick)
- Dead plants/flowers
🚫 Banned:
- Soil/turf (use a rubble skip)
- Japanese knotweed (illegal to move)
Why It Matters:
✔ Compost gold: Clean green waste = free mulch for farms
✔ Weight savings: 1 tonne of grass = £40 vs. mixed waste’s £120
How to Use It:
- No plastic bags (even “biodegradable” ones)
- Layer branches first, then soft waste
Best Sizes:
- 4-yard skip: Seasonal garden tidy
- 10-yard skip: Landscaping projects
6. Rubble Waste Skip
The heavyweight or hardcore waste champion is designed for construction and demolition projects to handle heavy materials like concrete, bricks, tiles, and stones, which are denser and much heavier than other waste types.
✅ Allowed:
- Bricks, concrete, tiles
- Ceramics (toilets, sinks)
🚫 Banned:
- Soil/wood (contaminates recycling)
- Plasterboard (toxic when mixed)
Why It Matters:
✔ Reborn as roads: Crushed rubble = new construction material
✔ Weight alert: Rubble is 3x heavier than general waste
How to Use It:
- Stack bricks neatly to maximize space
- No loose dust—lightly water it down
Best Sizes:
- 6 yrd skip: Garden wall demolition
- 14-yard skip: Driveway replacement
Access Nightmares – The Permit Surprise
Roadside = paperwork headache
Councils love charging £85+ for road permits (and take 5 days to approve them). Measure your driveway gap before booking—if the lorry can’t fit, you’re paying for a wasted trip.
7. Asbestos Waste Skip - ⚠️ Licensed Only
Our asbestos waste skips are specially made to safely and securely dispose of asbestos-containing materials. Asbestos is a hazardous material, and exposure to its fibres can cause serious health issues, including lung disease and cancer.
Hands off! Asbestos is deadly when disturbed – our licensed team handles it safely.
✅ Allowed:
- Only asbestos sealed in HSE-approved bags
🚫 Banned:
- DIY removal (illegal without a license)
- Loose fibers (£10k+ cleanup fines)
Why It Matters:
✔ Deadly dust: One exposure can cause lung disease
✔ Legal must: Requires 24-hour advance notice
How to Use It:
- Don’t touch it—we’ll send a licensed team
- Keep it wet until pickup (reduces fibers)
Best Sizes:
- Specialist 8-yard: Garage roof removal
- Roll-on units: Industrial sites
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
For disposing of a variety of woods, including untreated timber, pallets, and wooden planks go with our wood waste skip. Ideal for projects that involve the removal of wood waste only, such as demolition, furniture removal, or garden clearances, ensuring the recycling process is as efficient and eco-friendly as possible.
From old pallets to biomass fuel – clean wood gets a second life (paint ruins it).
✅ Allowed:
- Untreated timber (pallets, floorboards)
- Non-upholstered furniture
🚫 Banned:
- Painted/varnished wood (toxic smoke when burned)
- MDF/chipboard (glues ruin recycling)
Why It Matters:
✔ Biomass energy: Clean wood powers hospitals
✔ Cost saver: Separated wood = half the price of mixed
How to Use It:
- Remove nails/screws (or pay £50/tonne extra)
- Stack flat to fit more
Best Sizes:
- 4-yard skip: Fence panel replacement
- 12-yard skip: Barn demolition
Key Tips for Choosing the Right Skip
Separate your waste properly, it can help reduce the overall cost, as sorted waste is often cheaper to dispose of.
Skip Type Cheat Sheet (With Cost-Saving Tips)
| Project Type | Best Skip | Money-Saving Hack |
|---|---|---|
|
Kitchen remodel
|
8yd mixed + 4yd plasterboard
|
Separate clean timber for cheaper wood recycling
|
|
Garden clearance
|
6yd green waste
|
Rent in dry weather—wet grass weighs 3x more!
|
|
Bathroom demolition
|
4yd rubble + 2yd plasterboard
|
Break tiles to fit 40% more material
|
|
Factory clearance
|
40yd RORO metal skip
|
On-site sorting cuts costs by 50% (vs. mixed waste)
|
Separate your waste
Segregating different types of waste (e.g., wood, metal, green waste) can save you money.
Know what’s prohibited
Always check which items cannot be disposed of in each skip. Some items might require specialized disposal methods.
Communicate on-site
Ensure everyone working on the project understands which skip is for which type of waste.
Check before collection
Before your skip is collected, make sure that no incorrect waste has been added, as this can lead to additional charges.
Need the Perfect Skip?
Choosing SkipHireTeam.co.uk means:
✅ Expert Guidance: 10+ years in waste management.
✅ Full Compliance: Licensed carriers for all waste types.
✅ Eco-Friendly: 90% average recycling rate.
📞 Call today for same-day delivery across UK.
📍 Trusted by homeowners and contractors UK-wide.
