Believe it or not, this is a relatively common question in the waste management industry. But there’s a short answer to whether you can put items in someone else’s skip – no. It causes a lot of problems for all who are involved with the hiring of the skip and the person who dumps waste in someone else’s skip could face legal action if caught. It will also affect the person who hired the skip in the first place and potentially the skip hire company if prohibited items are thrown in without anyone’s knowledge.

Here’s why putting rubbish in someone else’s skip is strongly advised against and what you can do instead in order to dispose of your waste in a responsible manner. We’ve also given some tips as to how to prevent someone from fly-tipping their rubbish in your skip, together with how you can go about reporting suspected fly-tipping offences.

Who is responsible if someone fly-tips their waste in my skip?

Unfortunately, the person who is responsible for that would be the individual who hired the skip in the first place. As the skip would be in your hands for that period of time, it’s up to you to keep an eye on what is going in and out of it.

It’s important that you check the contents of your skip on a regular basis to ensure that nothing has been thrown in there that could incur additional costs by the waste management company. Not only that, but they could also refuse to take it away full stop, so make every now and again, peer inside to see whether any additional rubbish has been thrown in without your permission.

Items that are prohibited from being disposed of in a skip

White goods
Electrical items
Paints
Solvents
Fuel
Tyres
Plasterboard
Batteries

Check with the waste management company you’re hiring from to see if there’s anything else you can’t place in one of their skips, or if certain items incur an extra fee. Some companies will charge you extra for disposing of a mattress in your skip, for example. Therefore, it’s always better to check before you start filling your skip with waste materials.

It is also possible for you to report fly-tipping if you suspect that an offence has been committed, but it will be extremely difficult to prosecute, or even catch, the person who has done it unless you have some solid proof or evidence. There could be some clues as to the person’s identity hidden within the rubbish they have left behind.

If this occurs, you could ring the non-emergency police number to let them know that someone has fly-tipped waste in your skip. They may well want to sift through the rubbish themselves to see if there’s any information that could lead to an arrest.

How can I report fly-tipping in Burton-on-Trent?

Local authorities have different ways of reporting fly-tipping, but in Burton-on-Trent, there are a number of things you can do in order to report fly-tipping offences in your area. You could do one of the following:

Fill out an online form
Give the council a call on 01283 508506
Email the council via community.civil_enforcement@eaststaffsbc.gov.uk

If you want to learn more about fly-tipping, including what it is, why it’s illegal, the consequences faced if caught and how to find a reputable waste carrier, then take a look at one of our latest articles – we’ll be able to answer all of your fly-tipping questions.

How to prevent fly-tipping

There are a number of things you can do to try and prevent someone from fly-tipping waste in the skip you have hired. Although not all rubbish that is placed in your skip by someone else will be an issue, like a few food wrappers or other small items, the problem comes when large amounts of bulky waste are dumped in there without your permission.

Here’s how to prevent others from disposing of their waste in your skip without your knowledge:

Talk to your neighbours – let them know that you have ordered a skip and what you intend to use it for. That way, if they see anything else in it, they can notify you that someone has put waste in your skip without your permission. Not only that, they’ll also understand that the skip will be yours for a certain duration and so it’s not there for public use. Once you have finished with the skip, see if they have anything they would like to get rid of that comes within the certified waste list, just to be courteous.

Have the skip placed on your driveway or garden if possible – placing a skip in your back garden is not a feasible option for the majority of people. But if you can, have it set down either on your driveway or somewhere else in your front garden. This will stop people from simply throwing things in as they walk by it if it’s placed on the pavement. If you have gates, keep them closed to avoid people from quickly gaining access to your skip, throwing waste in and getting away.

Cover the skip when it’s not being used – whether you’re taking a break, having a day off or are just leaving it overnight, cover the skip over to make it harder for people to put rubbish in it. Try using tarpaulin or old shower curtains and weigh them down with rocks or stones. If you can’t do that, then tie them down instead. It might also be possible to hire a cover from the waste management company, so it’s worth seeing whether that’s an option when renting a skip.

How to dispose of your waste responsibly

It’s not right to be disposing of your waste in someone else’s skip and if you’re caught, you could face a fine of up to £5,000 and even a prison sentence depending on what it is you’ve dumped and how many times the offence has been committed. Instead of using other people’s skips for disposing of your rubbish, here are a few other things you can do to responsibly get rid of your unwanted items.

Hire a skip of your own – it’s a relatively simple, cost-effect solution that anyone can benefit from. Here at Willshee’s, we have a number of domestic skip hire options available, from small 2.5 yard skips all the way up to 40 yard skips, we’ll have a waste management solution that’ll be perfect for your domestic project, no matter what it is you’re wanting to do.

Utilise a local authority site or recycling centre – there are many of these located across the country, so make use of these centres where you can. It’s important to note, however, that there are some local authority sites that will need you to register your vehicle, or you’ll have to provide proof that you live in that area, so check before you make your journey over there. It’s an easy, free way of disposing of your waste sustainably.

Ask if you can use the skip to put a few items in – if your neighbour has just hired a skip or if someone nearby has hired one, then knock on the door and ask if it would be ok for you to put something in it. Don’t request permission to dispose of large amounts of rubbish, but if you have a small item that you need to get rid of, then your neighbour might be ok with you using their skip to dispose of it correctly. However, they might ask you to come back once they have finished loading the skip and then you can use whatever free space there is at the end to throw your waste in.

Willshee’s are proud to be able to offer environmentally-friendly, responsible waste management solutions to both commercial and domestic customers throughout Burton-on-Trent and the surrounding areas. If you wish to hire a skip today, whether you’re carrying out home renovations or work on a construction site, then get in touch with a member of our friendly, knowledgeable team today – we’re always on hand to help.

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