A skip is a large, open top container used traditionally by building firms to deposit the debris that they produce. Once full, it is then removed by a purpose built wagon to a landfill site or recycling centre where the contents are deposited. Skips are also often hired for a fixed period of time by private individuals carrying out work on their homes.
Home improvement is almost a way of life now for property owners, but it invariably results in waste. Small amounts can just go into your rubbish bin, but larger amounts are not so easy to handle. This is where a skip can prove invaluable.
It’s important to choose the right size of skip for the purpose. If in doubt, go for the larger size; you don’t want the wasted time and expense of leaving a job half-done and having to reorder a second skip. Bear in mind that there is often a fill level on the skip over which you must not go. This prevents the load from becoming unstable in transit.
If possible, arrange for the skip to be put on your own driveway, as putting it on the public highway requires a permit from the local council. This permit is normally arranged by the skip provider, although some councils do require that the customer applies to them directly.
There are a number of statutory, as well as local, regulations that you need to be aware of when you park a skip on the public highway. The basic rules are that the skip should not exceed five metres in length by two metres in width, it should be guarded by at least three traffic cones and illuminated at all four corners by night. It should not cover any manholes and the name and telephone number of the hire company should always be clearly visible somewhere on the skip.
Please be aware that there are certain things that may not be disposed of in a skip. These include electrical appliances such as televisions; refrigerated appliances such as fridges, freezers and air conditioners; hazardous construction materials like plasterboard and asbestos; pollutants such as paint, solvents and automotive fluids; and pressurised items like aerosols.
A good skip hire company should be able to tell you exactly how it intends to process your material and tell you precisely what its recycle rate is. With a normal load, the absolute maximum that should end up in landfill is 20 per cent. The company should hold a valid waste removal licence and, if it processes the waste in its own waste transfer station, an environmental permit.
The final stage of the process sees your waste being separated out into recyclable and non-reusable items. Wood, cardboard, paper, plastics, metals, rubble, soil and glass can all be reprocessed to make new products. Green waste can either be composted or converted into green fuel. Only the bare minimum should actually end up in the ground.
If you are after skip hire Epsom, visit the site. www.proskips.co.uk offer great prices combined with excellent service.