Commercial skip hire is a practical way of dealing with the large volumes of waste that can be generated by businesses of all sizes during office clearances, shop refits, land reclamation, building works and refurbishment projects. Larger organisations may require commercial skip hire on a regular or long-term basis in order to deal with the ongoing disposal of packaging materials including cardboard and plastic, obsolete fittings and furniture, or green waste from management of the land on which business premises are located.
Shops, restaurants, offices, builders and other commercial enterprises generally produce greater volumes of waste than domestic households and therefore commercial skip hire tens to involve larger skips, such as the larger Builder’s Skip which has a capacity of 8 cubic yards and can therefore hold up to 8 tonnes of waste, or the 12 cubic yard Maxi Skip.
The Maxi Skip cannot be used to collect heavy commercial waste such as bricks, hardcore, concrete, rubble or soil as the combined weight of the larger skip, its contents and the weight of the skip lorry required to transport it would be more than legal road weight limits allow.
Find a skip hire company that is an Environment Agency Approved Waste Carrier (you can usually find a list of these on your local authority’s web site or by contacting the Environment Agency direct), giving them your delivery details, address, the size of skip you require and letting them know how long you need your skip for.
However, as with domestic skip hire there are certain practicalities that must be taken into consideration when hiring a skip for commercial use. If the skip will be placed on a public highway (i.e. not entirely sited on your private business premises) you will need to apply to your local authority for a skip permit covering the period for which you wish to hire your skip. Some skip hire companies will take care of this application on your behalf.
You should also be aware that it is your responsibility to ensure the skip’s visibility at night if it is on public land. Most skip hire companies will provide cones and electric beacons to place around the skip at night – it is your duty to ensure that they are in place at the end of the day. You must also make sure that your skip is not inhibiting access to your premises and to neighbouring businesses and that it does not pose a fire risk.
For health and safety reasons, items that are deemed hazardous cannot be placed in a skip. If the trade waste your business generates contains significant quantities of clinical waste, aerosol cans with warning labels, paints or solvents, liquid concrete, automotive oils, diesel and petrol, paint cans or any material that is potentially toxic or explosive you will need to make alternative arrangements for the safe collection and disposal of this material.
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