Most household and building waste is fine. A short list of hazardous and regulated items isn't — here's what and why.
Furniture, general household junk, garden waste and shrubbery, non-hazardous packaging, and most bagged domestic rubbish.
Bricks, rubble, soil, tiles, timber, and general construction debris — though heavy waste like soil and rubble is often better suited to a dedicated heavy-waste skip since it's priced by weight.
Plasterboard can often go in a skip, but many suppliers ask for it to be separated or placed in its own skip. This is because gypsum reacts with other waste in landfill to produce hydrogen sulphide gas, so it's regulated separately under UK waste rules.
Classed as hazardous waste and requires a licensed specialist contractor for safe removal and disposal — never place it in a general skip.
Electrical items are covered by WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) regulations and need separate recycling. Most councils offer free household collection for these.
Wet paint, solvents, oils and other liquids can contaminate the rest of the skip's contents and aren't accepted. Dried-out, empty paint tins are usually fine — check with your supplier.
Tyres are banned from landfill under UK regulations. Batteries and gas canisters are fire and chemical hazards and need specialist disposal.
Requires specialist clinical waste disposal and is never accepted in a standard skip.
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