Depending on what type of lawnmower you have will determine the best way to dispose of it. You might be thinking of hiring a skip and getting it sent to landfill. However, that is not necessarily the best option. This guide will help you dispose of your lawnmower as efficiently and safely as possible. 

How to dispose of a lawnmower

Disposing of a lawnmower yourself can be a stressful process, particularly as some areas have special rules for disposing of old lawnmowers due to environmental concerns. If you fail to dispose of your lawnmower correctly, this could land you in trouble either financially or legally. 

Whether your old lawnmower is being collected by a professional waste removal company, you are leaving it out for general waste collection or metal collectors, you should never leave your old lawnmower on the side of the road. Not only does this pose a risk to pedestrians and drivers in your neighbourhood, but it is also considered fly-tipping and you could be fined.

If this sounds like a lot of hassle, the easiest solution is to get a professional waste collection company to come and collect your old lawnmower instead. We offer a same day collection service across the UK for a variety of waste removal services, including WEEE waste collection, and we will ensure that you fully comply with the law in the most environmentally sensitive way possible. 

How to dispose of different types of lawnmower

Petrol lawnmowers

Petrol lawnmowers are suitable for scrap metal collection, but please make sure the petrol tank is completely empty first. Oil residues and fuel are bad for the disposal process and have a major environmental impact, as the oil can then enter the soil and filter through to contaminate ground water.

Push lawnmowers

Push mowers are generally made from metal and can be collected as scrap. Although if the grass collection box is made from plastic, this will need to be separated for disposal. 

Electric lawnmowers

Electric mowers are classified as WEEE waste (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), which is essentially anything that requires a plug or battery to operate. This waste is considered too dangerous to dispose of in landfill as it often contains toxic chemicals, which can contaminate the surrounding environment, and must be disposed of separately.

In the UK, WEEE is heavily regulated by governmental legislation, which can be a legal minefield to navigate when disposing of your electrical waste. Heavy fines can also be imposed if you fail to dispose of your e-waste appropriately.

Who can collect my old lawnmower?

Deciding to get rid of your lawnmower is one thing, but figuring out how to do it in a responsible and legal way can be more challenging. 

Most local services will not collect lawnmowers, and not everyone has a vehicle to take one to a local recycling centre – and that’s even if they will take it. 

If you just want to get rid of your old lawnmower without the stress and hassle, your best option is to contact a professional rubbish removal company like us. We have a dedicated team of experts on hand to meet your rubbish removal needs. Our fully trusted and vetted team of professionals are on hand to offer a collection service that is reasonably priced, all day, every day. 

Our service ensures that you dispose of your lawnmower in the most eco-friendly way possible. We can take it away to a specialised service, which breaks it down into its plastic and metal components to be recycled – all stuff that you do not need to worry about doing yourself! 

At RecycleZone, we recycle 90% of the rubbish we collect, ensuring we fulfil a sustainable, environmentally-conscious practice.

How to find the best lawnmower collection service

We are one of the largest rubbish removal companies in the UK. Based in London, we have a dedicated team of experts up and down the country to collect your rubbish, including old lawnmowers. 

Our collection services are always carried out safely and efficiently. We are fully certified and licensed waste carriers, providing you with any compliance documents as soon as we leave the premises. 

We have the highest level of quality control – all of our vehicles are tracked, allowing us to provide a consistent and compliant waste removal service. 

The great thing is you don’t have to lift a finger – our team of professionals will do all the hard work for you. Our online booking service is easy to use and available 24/7, so don’t hesitate to contact us now for a free no-obligation quote. 

Feature image photo by Daniel Watson on Unsplash.

The post Can I Put A Lawnmower In A Skip? first appeared on RecycleZone.

When you are having a spring clean, or even moving house, you may find that you have piles of unwanted electrical items that you don’t know how to dispose of. Large things like refrigerators and washing machines as well as smaller items such as lighting systems can cause problems when trying to have a clear out. 

With technology, a new model comes out every year with adjusted specifications and boasting a whole range of the latest features. Suddenly, your old electronics seem outdated and behind-the-times so you decide to upgrade. Then the cycle repeats itself in a year’s time. 

This results in a growing pile of discarded tablets, computers and mobile phones that take up space in your home and are a menace to get rid of – you can’t just throw them in the bin and forget about them, there are legal guidelines and regulations stopping this.

What is Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)? 

To know how to get rid of these items effectively, you must first know what counts as an electrical good. To put it simply, WEEE waste includes items with either batteries or a plug. It includes goods like:

• IT equipment like laptops, computers and telephones
• Large white goods such as fridges, freezers, dishwashers and washing machines
• Smaller electrical items like kettles, irons and vacuum cleaners 
• Toys that use batteries like cars and games consoles
• Leisure items such as treadmills, radios and hot drink dispensers

These are things that many of us have in our homes, sometimes even multiples of them. It can seem like a daunting task when it is time to start getting rid of them – that’s why we have put together this brief guide on the options you have when disposing of your electrical goods. 

How to recycle electronics

The first thing you think to do when having a clear out is take everything straight to your local recycling centre, or tip, where you can get rid of everything in one swoop. Unfortunately, it is not always that simple when dealing with WEEE goods. 

All of these electrical items are too dangerous to be disposed of with other waste, due to the potentially hazardous chemicals that will be released. You need to take special care when getting rid of them. You need to thoroughly research every single item and categorise them based on aspects such as whether there are any circuit boards present, what internal wiring the product uses and the plastic components. 

Gov.uk details that these different electrical goods need to be disposed of in a specific manner to ensure no hazardous materials are released into the environment, often going by classification codes.

If the electronic contains persistent organic pollutants (POPs), they cannot be recycled and instead need to be destroyed. This can be done by a number of methods depending on the type of POPs, such as: 

• Physico-chemical treatment
• Incineration on land
• Using it as a fuel or another way to generate energy

A lot of WEEE waste will consist of toxic materials like lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium which are harmful to your local environment when they are disposed of incorrectly. They will contaminate any soil nearby as well as harm the surrounding wildlife. 

This can be incredibly difficult to do properly yourself, so it may be an idea to seek the help of a professional waste clearance team. It can take the worry from your shoulders to know that your WEEE items are being disposed of in a safe and lawful manner. 

How to remove personal data from devices 

Before disposing of any device such as a computer, laptop, mobile phone or tablet, you need to wipe all personal information from it. 

Think about what is on your phone right now. There are numerous numbers of family members, passwords to different shops, online banking details, and debit or credit card numbers. Not to mention photos, videos, and social media accounts. Now, would you like anyone having direct access to these? 

That is why it is so important to make sure you take off any saved passwords or other personal data before you dispose of your electronics. 

– Mobile phones

This exercise can be very simple for most mobile phones. Exact steps will differ on the model and type of mobile phone, but a simple guideline is:

1. Back up any wanted photos, videos or messages on your choice of storage (iCloud, Google Photos, etc.)
2. Sign out of any social media accounts, banking apps or other accounts you have saved on your phone
3. Go into settings and restore your device to factory settings – this will wipe any apps, search history or saved items 
4. Make sure you have deleted any data from the internal storage 
5. Take out your sim card and dispose of this separately 

– Computers and laptops

Similar to that of mobile phones, the first step to wiping your electronic devices is to save anything you wish to keep in another place, ideally online storage to help with ease of access. You can then log out of all applications or online websites, clear browsing data and saved passwords on your browsers, and restore to original settings. 

Popular Mechanics also advises you to also destroy the hard drive to be on the safe side, and they have a comprehensive guide on how to do so.  

Other options to get rid of electronics 

If your items are still in good and usable condition, then you may want to explore other options to get rid of them instead of direct disposal. Here are some other ways to declutter your space:

• Ask friends and family if they want them 
• Donate to a local charity shop
• Enquire at nearby schools or colleges to see whether they would be able to use your unwanted IT equipment 
• Make some money by selling these second-hand electronics to sites such as Cash Converters or CeX 

As with disposal, wiping any personal data from your goods is vital when giving them to a new home. 

Feature image credit: DAMRONG RATTANAPONG / Shutterstock

The post How to Dispose of Electronics first appeared on RecycleZone.

If you are lucky enough to have a garden, there is a good chance it is important to you to keep it in a tidy state. But keeping it up to your own standards can mean keeping on top of digging out dead plants, cutting long grass and getting rid of old furniture. Once you have rid your garden of these unsightly items, you may ask yourself how you can dispose of this waste. 

We have outlined ways for you to do this as efficiently and as cost-effective as possible – whether you choose to do it yourself, get in touch with your council or hire a professional clearance team. 

What counts as garden waste? 

Garden waste is exactly what it sounds like, rubbish that has come from your garden. This can either be through garden renovations or the general upkeep of it. But to give you an idea, these are some things that count as garden waste:

• Broken or unwanted garden furniture
• Grass and hedge clippings
• Dead plants or flowers
• Branches, bushes and leaves
• Wood from discarded decking, trees or fencing
• Soil and turf

This list is by no means exhaustive, but other examples of waste you may find in your garden could fall under other categories such as DIY rubbish (flooring and rubble) and therefore need to be disposed of in a different manner. 

Ways to dispose of your garden waste

– Collection from your local council 

Some councils are able to provide a service where they come to your home and collect your garden waste. They provide you with an extra bin specifically for garden waste and collect this regularly. The pricing usually includes an annual fee and a new customer set-up cost. 

You can search your postcode on the government website and it will direct you either to your local council’s own website or pages that will offer you more information on this collection service. 

– Professional garden waste clearance 

When the amount of waste seems too great to be able to deal with on your own, or you don’t want to pay for a year-round collection from the council, a professional team will be able to help you. 

One perk of this is that you don’t have to lift a finger. You can simply point the team in the direction of the waste you need removing and they will do the rest – the heavy lifting, the transportation and the disposal. 

Whether you have acres of land or just a modest-sized garden, an experienced team will be able to assist you. They can take away bulky furniture, piles of excess soil and dirt, trees and bushes, leaving you with the pristine garden of your dreams. 

– Hiring a skip for your garden rubbish 

If you have a large amount of garden waste then it may be a great idea to hire a skip to get rid of the bulk of it. You can choose from a variety of sizes depending on your needs. 

To maximise the use of your skip, you should follow these simple steps:

• Plan what is going in there before you start loading it – If you start throwing in your rubbish in any order then you may find you are not utilising the whole of the space. Start by putting waste at the bottom that can be easily compressed, so when you put heavier rubbish on top, it will push it down. 
• Don’t overfill your skip – There will be clear guides on the side of the skip where you can fill to. Make sure you don’t exceed these limits as most companies will refuse to pick your skip up once the time comes and you will face extra charges. 
• Place skip as close as possible to where your waste is – To save your arms and legs, try to organise the skip to go in an area that is close to where the main bulk of your waste is. By doing this, you are saving yourself from having to carry heavy items across your property. 

A few things to remember is that you need to organise space on your property to put the skip otherwise you will need to organise a permit to put it on a public road or path. 

Home solutions for garden waste

For smaller amounts of garden waste, you can explore the options of dealing with it at home. We recommended this to those who have larger gardens, as these solutions can often take up a lot of space. 

– Compost bins

An eco-friendly, cost-effective, and earth-conscious choice is to invest in a compost bin. You can put both garden and kitchen waste in there, such as fruit and vegetable peels, leaves, newspaper and grass clippings, which will then decompose into a fertiliser rich in nutrients. 

WRAP outlines that a compost bin is a great choice as it contributes towards lowering greenhouse gas emissions and also produces compost to be used elsewhere in your garden. 

– Incinerators 

Incinerators are a quick and effective way to get rid of garden waste in one go. You can keep one in your garden and put pulled weeds, grass, twigs, parts of hedges and other trimmings in it.

Bonfires are also an option and work well. It is legal to have one in your garden as long as they don’t cause a problem to your neighbours by becoming too large or producing too much smoke.

These two home solutions are a great way to dispose of garden waste, if you only have a small amount of it. For all bigger clearances and larger amounts of rubbish from your garden, it is easier to call in a professional waste removal team to do the hard work for you. 

Feature image credit: Ellyy / Shutterstock

The post How to Dispose of Garden Waste first appeared on RecycleZone.

After a renovation or just a spot of DIY, you may be looking at your excess cans of paint and wondering how to dispose of them. It is not as simple as just taking them to your nearest recycling centre or throwing them in your bin. 

Over the years of decorating, you may find that you have ended up with cans upon cans in your shed or garage that are just sitting there. You go to have a look and see that you have multiple shades of white along with creams, greens, and greys. 

After a while, the paint becomes unusable as it slowly starts to separate, dry out and change colours. So, the question of how to dispose of it becomes even more important. 

What not to do when disposing of paint 

When researching ways to get rid of your excess paint, it can be helpful to know what not to do. Disposing of it in an incorrect manner can bring about heavy fines and damages to your local environment. 

1. Pour it down the drain

Although many types of paint are perfectly safe to be used within your home and garden, the same does not apply to the environment. Paint is full of chemicals that can cause pollution and is harmful to local wildlife. 

Not only that, pouring paint down the drain can also damage your plumbing system. Most types of paints are flammable and, in some severe cases, can ignite the entire system. They also coat the inside of your pipes and obstruct the normal flow of water.

2. Put cans of paint in your bin

It may be tempting to just fling the unwanted cans of paint into your bin, but unfortunately, it is not as easy as this. Usual bin collection services from your local council will not be able to dispose of this liquid in their normal methods, slowing it down as a whole and maybe even causing further damage to the environment. 

3. Take liquid paint to your local disposal centre 

Similar to putting paint in your bins, most disposal centres within the UK do not accept liquid paint. With many of them, you are only able to take empty metal paint cans but you can always check in with your local centre to find out exactly what they do accept. 

What to do to safely dispose of paint

Now you know what you can’t do with your old paint pots, let’s move on to how you can dispose of them. We have researched the easiest ways you can get rid of these unwanted decorating supplies. 

1. Add hardener to make the paint become solid 

The reason why many household waste sites will not accept paint as liquid waste is not allowed in most landfill sites. Recycle Now advises you add a paint hardener or sawdust to your leftover paint to make it solid. This way, you can take it to the centre. 

Just make sure you puncture the paint with a knife or screwdriver to make sure it’s entirely solid before you take it. 

2. Give it to friends and family 

If you bought some paint to do some light retouches or just decorate a small area, you may be left with a can that is still nearly full once you are finished with it. But what you don’t want could benefit others close to you. 

To save them having to buy their own paint, you could give them your old cans to help them out. If it is a common colour such as white or light grey, chances are that they will be able to put them to good use.  

3. Donate it to charity 

Another option to give your unwanted paint a new purpose is to donate it to a scheme that reuses paint to brighten communities. Community RePaint is a project that redistributes paint to benefit families and charities. 

You can search your nearest drop off point to donate paint that is still in usable condition

How to dispose of empty paint cans 

If you have used all of the paint, but still have the empty cans to deal with, there are simple methods of disposal. Plastic paint tubs cannot be widely recycled but if they don’t have any paint in them, you can pop them straight into your household bin. 

Empty metal cans are widely accepted at recycling centres if they are dried out and completely empty of paint. To be certain of this, you can take the lid off the tin and allow it to dry out naturally before getting rid of it. 

You can also take the hassle out of discarding any type of paint by hiring a professional collection team. They will be able to take these unwanted cans off your hands and dispose of the paint in the most eco-friendly manner, giving you the peace of mind that it has all been taken care of. 

Feature image credit: D. Pimborough / Shutterstock

The post How to Dispose of Paint first appeared on RecycleZone.

To aid you in your everyday recycling tasks, the waste management experts at RecycleZone have used our unmatched knowledge on recycling to help you understand what can be recycled and how. 

What materials can be recycled?

Broadly speaking, there are plenty of recyclable materials and processes that help make the world a better, more environmentally friendly place. These include some of the following materials, all of which will be discussed in greater detail in this post:

• Paper
• Glass 
• Cardboard
• Cartons
• Plastic 
• Aluminum and some other metals 
• Food waste 

What glass can be recycled?

Glass is recyclable and as a material it can be recycled continuously without losing quality, which is fantastic news for the environment. The most commonly recycled glass products are glass jars, such as those that contain sauce or food, and glass bottles, like milk and coca-cola bottles. 

It is important to note, however, that certain glass products cannot be recycled since they are contaminated with other materials or other glass types. This is problematic since different glass varieties each have their own melting points, which naturally require different recycling methods. 

You should also not recycle dirty glass jars since this complicates the recycling process. This issue can easily be resolved by thoroughly rinsing all glass materials and jars before putting it in the recycling to be taken away. 

It is also vital to remember that unlike certain glass bottles and jars, glass homeware (such as Pyrex jugs) and trays are non-recyclable, since these are heat treated to make them fit for kitchen use. This means they cannot easily be melted unlike other glass items.

What paper can be recycled?

Most paper can be recycled, including office paper, magazines, newspapers and certain wrapping paper. Technically, this also extends to cardboard too, since cardboard boxes and delivery boxes are also commonly recycled. 

There are, however, some instances where paper and cardboard is non-recyclable. In particular, you should not recycle paper where it is in the form of tissues, wipes, sticky paper, shiny and glitter gift paper and cards. 

To ensure your paper is recyclable, you should remove any plastic wrappers and coating on paper since this must be recycled separately or not at all. It is also vital to prevent your recycling from becoming damp, since this means it is unfit for paper  recycling. 

What plastics can be recycled?

Knowing which plastics can be recycled is slightly more complex, and it is often useful to refer to and understand recycling symbols when it comes to plastic as these give more technical insight. 

The most commonly recycled plastic includes plastic bottles, fizzy drink bottles and yoghurt pots, all of which are classed as PET recyclable plastic. Some other recyclable materials are in the HDPE category, such as milk bottles, bottle tops, toiletry bottles, carrier bags and tubs. 

However, some plastics are non-recyclable such as crisp wrappers, cling films, hoses and plastic furniture, so you should be sure to separate these. 

Can food waste be recycled?

The UK has a major food waste crisis, with tonnes of food wasted in commercial and domestic settings every day. Fortunately, food waste is recyclable. That is so long as it isn’t a liquid or still packaged, as this proves messy and inconvenient when processed at a recycling plant. Interestingly, when recycled alongside garden waste or alone, food waste can create compost or be used as a form of electricity. 

Raw and out of date food can all be recycled in the bin, but be sure to store it appropriately and in specific bags since food waste is notorious for attracting maggots and pests. 

Can metal be recycled?

The most suitable metals to be recycled are steel and aluminium, mainly since recycling these is far more viable economically and environmentally. For example, aluminium cans can be recycled at just 5% of the energy and greenhouse gas output that production of entirely new cans are. Fortunately, aluminum is a commonly used metal for anything from vehicles to electrical wiring and tin cans, so can easily be found around the home and recycled. 

However, alloy metals, used to describe a mixture of metals, are notoriously more difficult to recycle as all of these metals have different melting points and therefore need to be treated separately to be recycled, if at all! For this reason it is better practice to hire a reliable waste management company to separate and recycle your metal for you, along with your other waste!

Essentially, recycling our waste is an integral part of protecting the environment. However, it can prove tedious when you have plenty of waste to separate and distinguish, or when you simply don’t know what goes where! 

To aid you in your ethical and responsible waste management efforts, RecycleZone is on hand for advice and to offer a wide range of waste management services!

Feature image credit: 279photo Studio / Shutterstock

The post A Brief Guide To What Can Be Recycled first appeared on RecycleZone.

Unfortunately, one size does not fit all, and there is no single answer since it depends entirely on the amount and type of waste you want to dispose of. However, to support you in choosing the right skip, the experts at Recyclezone have compiled a comprehensive guide to skip sizes and purposes to answer all your burning questions.

Do Skip Sizes Matter? 

Put simply, yes. Often we see skips which are overloaded with waste and so can’t be removed. Surprisingly, many people don’t know that skips have weight limits and that the vehicles that collect these skips can only safely contain a certain amount of rubbish at one time. 

If you do happen to overload your skip, it is very likely that you might be either fined by your waste disposal service provider or that you will later have to remove items to lessen the load, so it is really important to understand which skip size you require. 

In the UK, the most common way to measure a skip is in cubic yards. We estimate that for each cubic yard, a skip can comfortably accommodate roughly 10 bin bags of rubbish. If you follow this general rule, skip sizes are far easier to understand!

What Skip Sizes Are Available?

There are many skip sizes available to both domestic and industrial clients, ranging from mini skips to midi skips and large skips. To simplify this further, Recyclezone have compiled a detailed break-down of skip sizes to help you determine which size skip you need. 

– 2 Yard Skip 

The smallest skip available is the 2 yard skip which can hold roughly 20-25 bin bags, making it ideal for your smaller domestic tasks such as clearing garden waste or tidying up after your DIY endeavours. These skips are also commonly hired for spring clear-outs and many other domestic jobs since they fit neatly on even the smallest driveways and the tightest parking spaces (with a permit of course!). 

The rough dimensions for this skip are: 

• Volume: 1.5m³
• Height: 0.8m
• Length: 1.2m
• Width: 0.90m

– 4 Yard Skip

The 4 yard skip is able to contain twice the contents that a 2 yard skip can, managing between 40-45 bin bags of waste at a time. This size skip is ideal for small, one-room renovations. For example, this sized skip is commonly hired by those refitting their kitchen or bathroom. This sized skip is also useful as a secondary waste container due to its versatile yet compact size, particularly where waste needs separating. Due to its compact yet useful size, this skip is ideal for limited space as it fits neatly within garden areas and on driveways. 

The rough dimensions for this skip are: 

• Volume: 3m³
• Height: 0.97m
• Length: 1.83m
• Width: 1.3m

– 6 Yard Skip 

The 6 yard skip is perfect for moderate waste since it can carry between 60-70 full bin bags of rubbish. This particular skip size is renowned for its reputation as a builder’s skip since it is the optimal size for building and construction sites as well as domestic home renovations. It is ideal for those looking to rid of waste from a medium sized project! 

The rough dimensions for this skip are:

• Volume: 4.6m³
• Height: 1.2m
• Length: 2.6m
• Width: 1.5m

– 8 Yard Skip

The 8 yard skip is a generous size and slightly larger than the 6 yard skip, with enough room to accomodate between 80 to 90 bin bags. Due to its large volume, any skips larger than this are most suited to a commercial environment where the waste generated is far greater. It is perhaps the most versatile of all skips since it is perfect for a wide range of commercial, domestic and industrial projects. 

The rough dimensions for this skip are:

• Volume: 6.1m³
• Height: 1.2m
• Length: 3.6m
• Width: 1.7m

– 10 Yard Skip

Holding roughly 100 bin bags of waste, the 10 yard skip is a popular choice for commercial tasks and major home renovation projects. They are also most commonly hired to clear up after tasks such as office clearing and small store fittings. 

The rough dimensions for this skip are:

• Volume: 7.6m³
• Height: 1.5m
• Length: 3.5m
• Width: 1.75m

– 12 Yard Skip

The 12 yard skip is also regularly used within the commercial setting owing to its generously proportioned size. However, they can also be suitable for domestic use where there is a substantial amount of waste to contain. It is known to contain between 100-115 bin bags. However, it is worth noting that despite their size, they are not suited to contain more than 8 tonnes! So whilst they can be filled, they should only be filled with certain waste and you should avoid filling them with dense, heavy waste such as soil and stones. For more information feel free to enquire about the suitability of the 12 yard skip for your next project. 

The rough dimensions for this skip are: 

• Volume: 9.8m³
• Height: 1.7m
• Length: 3.7m
• Width: 1.75m

– 16 Yard Skip

16 yard skips are among the largest skips available and can accomodate a substantial amount of waste. In fact, a 16 yard skip can hold between 160 and 170 bin bags full of waste, making it ideal for commercial clients. The best use for this sized skip is either a very large project or the completion of numerous, smaller projects to be cleared up together. 

The rough dimensions for this skip are:

• Volume: 12.2m³
• Height: 2m
• Length: 4.2m
• Width: 1.84m

– 20 Yard Skip

The 20 yard skip is immensely popular amongst labourers following household clearances since they can hold up to 220 bin bags of bulky waste. Due to their hefty size, they are typically only used on industrial or construction sites where they can fit comfortably. The 20 yard skip is the typical size of a builders skip. 

The rough dimensions for this skip are: 

• Volume: 15.3m³
• Height: 2m
• Length: 6m
• Width: 2.4m

– 30 Yard Skip

The 30 yard skip can hold a truly impressive amount of weight and is most commonly hired for large home clearances, disposing of masses of garden waste and plenty of light-weight yet bulky building waste. Experts say that the 30 yard skip is best for garden waste and woods such as timber due to their size and weight. 

The rough dimensions for this skip are: 

• Volume: 23m³
• Height: 2m
• Length: 6.1m
• Width: 2.4m

– 40 Yard Skip

The 40 yard skip is the maximum skip-size publicly available. As a result, they require a significant amount of space. Although widely available to domestic clients, these skips are most often used by commercial clients as they require the largest capacity to store waste. It is the perfect size for light-weight yet bulky waste. However, it is worth noting that whilst smaller skips such as the 6-8 yard skips can be filled entirely with heavy waste, the larger skips like these will have a specific limit of both heavy and light waste to be contained since a 40 yard skip filled with heavy waste will be impractical. For further details on these restrictions, please contact a professional waste collection service.

The rough dimensions for this skip are:

• Volume: 30m³
• Height: 2.6m
• Length: 6m
• Width: 2.4m

If you are still unsure what skip you need, have further questions or simply require more information please feel free to get in touch with our friendly team! We’re happy to help.

Feature image credit: Charlie Goodall / Shutterstock

The post What Size Skip Do I Need? first appeared on RecycleZone.

What is hazardous waste?

Hazardous waste is a broad term used to describe waste that may prove harmful to human beings or the environment. Generally speaking, many household products aren’t hazardous so long as they are used in accordance with the specified label instructions, meanwhile other substances are inherently hazardous or can become hazardous if used, stored and disposed of irresponsibly. 

Hazardous waste can be categorised into many different types and groups, namely corrosive, toxic, reactive and ignitable waste types, all of which are harmful for different reasons. Most frequently, the hazardous waste we are asked to collect and dispose of includes the following:

• Gas cylinders
• Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
• White goods (e.g fridges, washing machines etc) 
• Oil and diesel 
• Faeces 
• Paint
• Tyres
• Asbestos 
• Batteries 
• Waste solvents 

However, there are many more household and commercial items that constitute hazardous waste and therefore must be disposed of appropriately. 

What should you do with hazardous waste?

Disposing of hazardous waste is a complicated task, with plenty of dos and don’ts. If you’re wondering how to dispose of hazardous materials, be sure to read the following:

1. Categorise your waste to determine how hazardous it is

First, we recommend categorising your waste into categories in order to determine whether or not it is hazardous. There are a few important things to consider when deciding this, including the waste classification code, where the waste was produced, the substance name and the production and storage guidance. More often than not, hazardous waste has specific disposal recommendations which will instruct you on how to best and most safely dispose of the hazardous waste. 

More detailed information on categorising hazardous waste can be found either within the European Waste Catalogue, or in the relevant governmental guidance.

2. Organise secure storage

Once you have categorised your waste, it is important to store it accordingly until it is collected and disposed of. In particular, you need to ensure all hazardous materials are stored in a safe and secure place and that you have minimised or eliminated all risks of the waste escaping as it can pollute surrounding land, air and water.  

Particularly if you live and work with others, it is crucial to accurately label any stored waste to ensure it isn’t tampered with or exposed to others as some hazardous materials are particularly dangerous. 

3. Hire waste management experts to collect and dispose of hazardous substances

Once it is safely stored, you should arrange a hazardous waste collection service from a reputable and authorised waste management company. They should be registered to collect and dispose of hazardous waste from domestic and commercial properties and so can provide all relevant and necessary certification. We recommend requesting this from any waste carrier as it guarantees proper, ethical and responsible waste disposal. 

There are some other options, however, such as contacting your local council to see what services they provide or looking online to find a local hazardous waste disposal service. 

4. Receive and keep records of disposal and collection 

The final stage is among the most important things to remember when getting rid of your hazardous waste. Each and every waste collection and disposal company should provide you with a transfer note which should be signed by both parties and detail a clear audit trail of the waste’s lifespan from production to disposal. 

The transfer note is an imperative part of ensuring all waste carriers are credible, legal and responsible when disposing of waste. Failure to do so means that if the hazardous waste is disposed of illegally, then you will be held partly responsible according to the UK law. 

What happens if I dispose of hazardous waste improperly?

There are many dangers of improper disposal when it comes to hazardous waste, some of which include: 

• Irritability
• Serious illness
• Local pollution 
• Dangerous consumption 
• Infection 
• Hefty fines 
• Serious environmental damage

Owing to the severity of improper hazardous waste disposal, we advise that anyone with hazardous waste in their property or outside contacts a professional team of experts to handle the waste, or thoroughly research disposal themselves. 

For a waste management team you can trust or further information on how to dispose of your hazardous waste, get in touch with our friendly team at RecycleZone who will be happy to assist you!

Feature image credit: nhumster / Shutterstock

The post How To Dispose Of Hazardous Substances and Materials first appeared on RecycleZone.

How Much Waste Can Fit In A Skip?

One of the most important factors to consider when deciding when to hire a skip is how much waste you actually have and whether a skip is necessary and, if it is, what size is most suitable. For example, if you have a large bulk or quantity of waste to dispose of, it is likely best to invest in a skip hire since taking this to the tip is often not an option. 

Most typically, if you are renovating a home, revamping your outdoor space or decluttering before a big move, you will incur masses of waste which need to be disposed of ethically and responsibly. Fortunately, skips can come in an array of sizes, meaning there will always be one suitable for your rubbish without falling short of space or paying excessive costs. 

What Can Go In A Skip?

The nature of your waste will also determine whether or not you should hire a skip. In fact, many people forget that there are plenty of items prohibited from skips, so if you’re looking to get rid of these then you’re out of luck! 

For example, the following items cannot be disposed of in a skip:

• Electrical equipment and appliances
• Large batteries
• Fluorescent light bulbs
• Gas Cylinders
• Medical Waste
• Plasterboard
• Asbestos
• Tyres
• Fuel and Paint 
• Other Hazardous Waste

How Long Can I Hire A Skip For?

Skips can be hired for flexible periods of time, just as long as you are dealing with the right skip hire company. Skips can be hired from as little as a day to as long as an entire renovation to ensure that throughout your project, you are always equipped with somewhere to dispose of your waste. 

One main tip to remember is to be transparent about this period with the company in order to avoid incurring extra hire charges and fees for late return. What’s more, having your skip collected prematurely might mean you fail to fill the skip in time, making it less valuable and leaving you without anywhere to put waste created after the skip is collected – a nightmare!  

So, whether you want to hire a skip for a day or a few months, be sure to discuss the terms and costs involved clearly with your skip provider before hiring the skip, as these can inflate if agreed later, costing you a small fortune at the end of a job! 

Often, local skip hire companies may even empty and return your skip so that it can be used for a long period of time and for large quantities of waste but take up a small amount of your outdoor space. Every client is different and a reputable waste management company will adapt to meet your specific requests and needs. 

It is also a good idea to negotiate better prices and discounts for those that are looking for long-term skip hires. 

Where Should I Put My Skip?

It is also important to consider whether you have space to use a skip. Most often, skips are positioned in the outdoor space surrounding your property, so in front gardens, your personal driveway or on the public road. Whilst you are legally entitled to put a skip on any private property belonging to you, it is important to remember that the same is not true of public property, and that you need to be considerate and prepared when parking a skip on the roadside. 

In particular, you should consider the following:

• Whether passers by might deposit prohibited waste in your skip
• Whether the skip poses a health and safety hazard to anybody nearby
• Ensure you do not block access for other residents and leave them at a detriment 
• Ensure it is accessible for the company that drops it off and collects it.

This is also important to consider when choosing the right size skip for you, as some will be a better fit for your drive and property than others.

Skip hire can be complicated, but if you’re looking for a reputable company to assess your needs and take care of all of that for you, or if you’re looking for a more definitive and detailed list of what can and cannot be disposed of in a skip, contact us!

Feature image credit: Charlie Goodall / Shutterstock

The post When Should I Hire A Skip? first appeared on RecycleZone.

1. Separate and Dispose of Waste Properly 

If you are looking to save money on your upcoming rubbish removal project, our first piece of advice is to separate and organise your waste ready for disposal. This tedious process typically involves separating your waste into items to be recycled, repurposed, sold or disposed of entirely. 

By organising waste in this way, you can find the cheapest and most efficient ways to dispose of each item rather than simply filling skips unnecessarily. Although it is time consuming, doing this is not only better for the environment, but it also prevents you needing a larger skip and therefore cuts your costs and saves money on a large rubbish removal project. 

Separating and disposing of waste properly is also a significant factor in saving money because failing to do so could result in a costly fine or even additional charges from your skip provider. In fact, there are many items which are unfit for skips altogether and should be disposed of separately. For example, the following must not be put into your skip –  particularly if you want to avoid hefty fees and returning waste. 

• Asbestos
• Large Batteries
• Electrical appliances and equipment
• Oil, petrol and diesel
• Tyres
• Toxic materials 
• Fluorescent bulbs 
• Medical waste 
• Gas Cylinders
• Paints 

Much of your waste can sometimes be recycled for free at local recycling facilities which can be located using your local council’s website.  This is often the cheapest way of getting rid of rubbish. However, doing this can often be a tedious task without the right time, help and vehicle and it is well worth checking for opening times, necessary permits and additional charges before showing up. 

2. Donate and Sell

This second piece of advice is not only likely to save you money, but it might even make you money too! Much of what you deem to be ‘rubbish’ can be either sold or donated instead – so long as it is in good enough condition. After all, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. 

In particular, larger pieces of furniture or materials are typically able to be collected by local charities or taken away by house clearance specialists like RecycleZone who donate it to their partnering charities. This is the perfect way to cut the costs on your next rubbish removal project since these are renowned for being the items which hog precious skip space, meaning either you require multiple skips, or a larger and therefore more expensive one. These are typically also the items which one man and an ordinary car will struggle to get to the skip, meaning charity is a favourable and free option. 

If you have slightly more time on your hands, it is also worth considering how you could turn all of your clutter into cash instead. During large rubbish removal projects, we often find clothes that still have tags, furniture that is still within its prime and materials that can be repurposed by those with an enthusiasm for DIY. For example, the demand for typically mundane materials such as wooden pallets rocket have skyrocketed in recent years, with pallet projects on many people’s to-do lists. 

In particular, we recommend checking out the following places to sell your excess waste, rather than simply binning it:

• Hobby-specific or local Facebook groups
• Facebook Marketplace
• Gumtree
• eBay

3. Plan Ahead 

Planning ahead is potentially one of the easiest ways to save money on your large rubbish removal project and minimise stress. By planning ahead, you can ensure that you have decluttered your home in the most cost-efficient way.

 For example, it is often better to schedule in a large rubbish removal project and predict how much waste there is likely to be because this allows you to opt for the cheapest and most suitable disposal services or skips and have these booked in for the appropriate period of time. 

Failing to do so might otherwise leave you either forking out unnecessarily for another skip later because your time has expired with the first or simply because you have too much or too little waste for the wrong sized skip. As specialists, we strongly advise that you should research to find the right sized skip as part of planning your large removal project. Since skip prices depend on the size required, ordering one that is too small might leave you with overflowing excess waste, meanwhile one that is too big might be a waste of money.

When you are planning ahead, we highly recommend speaking to a professional waste collection service since they can advise you on the flexibility of their services, timings and skip sizes. You can contact Recyclezone’s friendly and reliable team today for any advice, call-outs or enquiries. 

4. Load Your Skip Efficiently

Another way to ensure you get the most value for your money during your next rubbish removal project is to load your skip as efficiently as possible. As skip specialists, the team at Recyclezone have compiled these quick tips to help you get the most from your skip:

1. Break it down all materials and break them into the following four categories ready to be disposed of:

• Flat items (e.g cardboard, wood and plasterboard)
• Stackable items (e.g bricks or wooden planks)
• Large and bulky items
• Loose debris

2. Always place the flatter and most heavy items at the bottom of the skip since these will fit neatly and fill all edges and gaps at the bottom of the skip, making more space for extra waste. Any wood and boxes should be dismantled as far as possible and flattened before placing in the skip.
3. Next you should put in any stackable items, such as bricks or wooden planks since these fit neatly beside and within each other and create more space for other rubbish. Doing this ensures that the skip’s contents is as compact as possible. 
4. Next you want to place large and bulky items in the skip. This typically refers to large furniture. We strongly recommend disassembling any furniture into its smallest components so that these can be spread out across the skip to fill small gaps. This is certainly advised with flat pack furniture which is designed to be broken down. 
5. Finally, you should complete the skip by placing any loose debris you may have on top. This general rule is very effective since due to the nature of debris, it is able to fill all available pockets of space and spares more space for the larger items.

5. Avoid Fines

Finally, we strongly advise that you don’t risk or chance fines. These can very quickly turn a cost-efficient waste removal project into a far pricier one, with some fines reaching up to £1000.

There are two common ways to be fined:

1. Failing to acquire a skip permit for skips that are not on private property
2. Putting prohibited items into skips. 

We recommend that before ordering a skip you can either ensure that it can be placed on private property or that you have acquired a permit from the local council. Typically this is the duty of the skip hire provider, however in some cases it is down to the client instead. We strongly advise consulting with the skip provider on the matter of placement and licensing, since you are likely to be hit with a hefty fine otherwise.

Additionally, we advise that you are wary of placing any prohibited items within your skip since these are always found when the skip is emptied and sorted. If prohibited items are found, it is likely that you will face additional fees and potentially have the restricted items returned. Unfortunately, this is nonetheless the case if the public put their waste within your skip, since it is held to be your responsibility to monitor the contents. We suggest either that you keep the skip out of a public and open area or that you are able to closely monitor it at all times. 

Feature image credit: ungvar / Shutterstock

The post How To Save Money On Large Rubbish Removal Projects first appeared on RecycleZone.

In fact, research finds that the amount of waste typically collected and taken to landfills by the local authorities has fallen by 87% in the past two decades alone. The positive effect this has on our environment is significant, with estimates that the greenhouse gas emissions produced by waste disposal have fallen by almost 70% since 1990.  

Yet despite its simple definition and clear benefits, recycling is still commonly misunderstood. As a result, the experts at RecycleZone have compiled this useful guide to the advantages and disadvantages of recycling, to help you make good waste decisions.

Advantages of Recycling Waste

1. Protects Our Finite Resources

Put simply, recycling waste helps to protect some of the world’s finite national resources from disappearing or being consumed entirely. For example, by recycling paper and wood, we are able to reduce the need for paper and wood to be retrieved from rainforests and ancient woodlands, many of which are an integral part of nature – used to prevent flooding and improve the air we all breathe.

With the affluent areas of the world witnessing an increased demand for new products and packaging, the effects are often felt by the poorest and most vulnerable populations abroad that live near natural resources and rely on these. For example, it has been noted that forest communities have frequently found themselves at risk of eviction and exploitation by those on the prowl for cheap new raw materials.

Fortunately, many organisations now have an initiative whereby they recycle their paper to reduce the rate of deforestation and protect our natural resources – something future generations will thank us for in years to come!

Not only does it protect the earth against deforestation, but by recycling simultaneously reduces the need to extract new raw materials through processes such as mining, which reduces energy consumption at the same time!

2. Reduces Pollution

One of the most renowned benefits of recycling our waste is that doing so reduces pollution. One of the leading pollutants comes from the industrial production of new materials, particularly plastic and metals. By recycling, we reuse the materials already produced and alleviate the need to produce new ones, which subsequently reduces the amount of pollution within the environment. Essentially, for all the waste that we recycle rather than throw away, we are limiting the need to produce new materials and harm the environment further than necessary!

With predictions that plastic production is set to double by 2050, our role in reducing this potential pollution has never been more important.

3. Reduces Landfill Waste

Recycling our waste prevents it from ending up in landfills where it often takes decades to decompose, if not longer. Unfortunately, due to the time non-biodegradable waste takes to decompose and the consistent influx of new waste, landfills often overflow. This has proven to be a very topical concern in recent years, with evidence that 80% of plastic in our oceans actually came from land – part of which is a result of littering or overflowing landfills. This is especially true of lightweight waste which can be blown into drains and rivers, leading it to the ocean.

Certain materials are particularly problematic. According to National Geographic, additives are often added to plastic to increase its strength, durability, and suitability. However, these same additives add many years onto the decomposition time of the plastic, with National Geographic estimating that these plastics could take up to 400 years to decompose fully.

4. Increases Employment Opportunities

Recycling plants inevitably require staff to work within them, therefore driving employment within local areas. These roles might vary from driving and collecting the waste, to manufacturing it into something new or segregating it. With a lot of waste comes a lot of responsibility, meaning that an increase in recycling will lead to an increase in job opportunities for locals.

5. Prevents Global Warming

With widespread discussion about the risk posed to the earth by global warming, recycling provides a worthy solution to a heated problem.

Global warming is a term used to describe the shifting climate on earth and science has largely attributed these changes to the emission of various gases into the air. Carbon dioxide, nitrogen and sulphur are among the most renowned offenders and are all products of waste disposal. By contrast, recycling involves very little waste disposal – if any! Therefore, recycling your waste inevitably prevents the emission of more, excessive gases.

Disadvantages of Recycling Waste

With all of these benefits, it is difficult to see why the UK are still failing to meet EU recycling targets. However, it is worth noting that there are some drawbacks to recycling, albeit minimal.

1. Compromised Quality of Materials

Products which are made from recycled materials tend to fare worse over time. This is because the materials are typically worn and torn prior to recycling, and therefore have lost some of their core properties such as durability. Due to this, the idea of recycled material opposed to new raw material is unattractive and products using recycled materials typically have to be sold at a much lower price!

2. The Costs of Recycling

• Financial Cost of Recycling

Recycling is also a very expensive habit. In particular, local councils and the government must fit the bill for arrangements such as regular collection vehicles and staff, new bins for all households, infrastructure and large recycling centres. In fact, it has been estimated that recycling your waste can cost three times as much as simply sending it to landfills! Effectively, there is a hefty price to pay to protect our planet.

• Environmental Cost of Recycling

This cost is not purely financial either. Like many other waste disposal processes, recycling still requires that the waste is transported to and processed within separate factories. As a result, recycling can become counter-intuitive since it consumes a lot of energy and can nonetheless contribute to pollution.

Additionally, when recycling is done incorrectly, there is also a large risk that the toxic waste created can become a contaminant within the environment which risks doing more harm than good.

3. Recycling is Unpopular

Despite various strong campaigns by the government and environmental groups to encourage and educate the population on recycling, many continue to be reluctant to recycle.

Due to the tedious and time-consuming nature of separating your waste into particular bins and organising collection, many look upon recycling unfavourably and are reluctant to adopt the practice. With only a 45% recycling rate reported in the UK in recent years, recycling needs to become even more established within both our homes and organisations in order to truly support our environment!

Whilst it is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages to recycling, it is nonetheless true that the advantages are far greater – particularly for the future of our environment. By embracing recycling, we can protect our finite resources, protect against global warming and reduce pollution in both the air and seas.

As waste removal experts, we understand how important it is to make the right choices about removing waste in an eco-friendly way, and that is why we recycle 90% of the waste that we remove. If you have waste that you want to dispose of correctly, feel free to contact Recyclezone today to make an enquiry or arrange waste removal.

The post The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Recycling Waste first appeared on RecycleZone.