Why are there restricted items that cannot be put in a skip?

At AB Waste Disposal we are committed to recover as much waste as possible and we divert as much as 98% of waste away from landfill.

As we are a non-hazardous waste transfer station, this means that we cannot accept any hazardous waste, as this must be disposed of in a totally different way under different licencing restrictions.

Disposal of hazardous waste must be either by the waste being incinerated at extremely high temperatures under very strict conditions or buried in special landfill sites for industrial waste. Therefore, when you are booking a skip, this is the reason why we will always check that you are aware of what the restricted items are that you cannot put in a skip.

Waste is generally considered hazardous if it (or the material or substances it contains) is harmful to humans or the environment. Examples of hazardous waste include:

• asbestos
• chemicals, such as brake fluid or print toner
• batteries
• solvents
• pesticides
• oils (except edible ones), such as car oil
• equipment containing ozone depleting substances, like fridges
• hazardous waste containers

This is the main reason why we cannot accept tins of wet paint, oils, liquids, or solvents in the skips as these can contain hazardous chemicals and can contaminate the other waste meaning that it is then non-recyclable and would need to go to landfill.

Some restricted items can be accepted but incur an additional cost due to these requiring transfer to specialist recycling sites.

• Plasterboard is separated and transferred off site for recycling.
• Tyres are transferred off site for recycling.
• Mattresses are transferred off site for recycling.

Licencing restrictions also dictate that we cannot accept food waste or combustible materials.

Further information regarding hazardous waste can be found by visiting the environmental agency website https://www.gov.uk › Environment Agency