Rules
What can and can't go in a skip?
Since 1 January 2023, sofas and other upholstered seating may not go in a skip under the POPs rules, and plasterboard mixed into general waste adds £80 to £150 (rent-a-skip, July 2026). Asbestos, tyres, fridges, paint, batteries and gas bottles are refused or surcharged, but most other household, garden and building waste can go in within the weight limit.
What can you put in a skip?
A general waste skip takes most household and building waste: timber, metal, kitchen units, furniture that is not upholstered seating, packaging, garden waste, bricks, tiles, rubble and soil within the weight limit.
Heavy waste is allowed but limited by weight. Rent-a-skip gives an 8 tonne limit for an 8 yard skip, and Mick George says its 12 and 16 yard skips are not suitable for soil or hardcore. Tell the firm what the waste is before it arrives, so it sends the right size.
Can you put a sofa in a skip?
No. Since 1 January 2023, GOV.UK guidance says waste upholstered domestic seating containing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) must be kept separate from other waste and incinerated, and landfill operators must not accept it. A mixed skip cannot meet those rules.
The rules cover sofas, sofa beds, armchairs, recliners, upholstered dining chairs, footstools, bean bags, home office chairs and upholstered garden furniture. They do not cover mattresses, curtains, blinds or scatter cushions smaller than 60cm by 60cm.
Book a separate collection for a sofa. Sofa removal costs £60 to £120 for a 2 or 3 seater (Fantastic Services, October 2026), and most councils collect sofas through their bulky waste service.
Can mattresses, plasterboard and tyres go in a skip?
Mattresses are not covered by the POPs rules, but most firms charge extra for one: rent-a-skip lists £15 to £30 per mattress (October 2026). Ask before you put one in.
Plasterboard must be kept separate from general waste, because gypsum may not go into a landfill cell that takes biodegradable waste. Rent-a-skip lists a contamination charge of £80 to £150 when it is mixed in (July 2026), and some firms offer a plasterboard-only skip or bag.
Tyres are on rent-a-skip's list of refused items. Firms that accept them charge per tyre, at £15 to £25 in our skip hire research (October 2026).
Can fridges, TVs and other electricals go in a skip?
Fridges, freezers and air-conditioning units are on rent-a-skip's list of items refused in standard skips. Firms that do accept them charge £50 to £90 each, in our skip hire research. Their cooling circuits contain gases that have to be recovered at a specialist treatment site.
Fluorescent tubes and energy-saving bulbs are also refused. Other electrical items count as waste electrical and electronic equipment and are better taken to a council recycling centre.
When you buy a new appliance, ask the retailer about take-back. GOV.UK says a retailer offering in-store take-back must accept waste of the same type as the item you buy, free of charge.
What hazardous waste is refused in a skip?
Rent-a-skip lists asbestos in any form, paint, solvents, oils and liquid chemicals, vehicle and household batteries, and clinical or medical waste among the items refused in skips (October 2026). If refused items are found at the transfer station, it says a retrospective charge of £100 to £300 can follow.
Gas bottles and other pressurised containers should not go in a skip, because they can burst when the load is crushed or compacted. Ask the supplier named on the cylinder about returns, or your council recycling centre.
Asbestos needs a specialist. Artex ceilings, old floor tiles and cement roof sheets in older buildings can contain it, so have suspect material tested before work starts. Japanese knotweed is another special case: GOV.UK says knotweed waste taken off site must go by a registered waste carrier to a permitted landfill or incineration site.
Can soil and rubble go in a skip?
Yes, within the weight limit. A smaller skip suits heavy waste, because a 6 yard skip reaches rent-a-skip's 6 tonne limit with less volume than a larger skip would.
Keeping soil and rubble separate from other waste can lower the price. Clean inert waste is taxed at the lower landfill rate of £8.65 a tonne from 1 April 2026, against £130.75 a tonne for other waste (GOV.UK). Ask whether the firm offers an inert-only skip.
Common questions
Can I put paint in a skip?
No. Rent-a-skip lists paint, solvents and oils among the items refused in skips. Take tins of paint to your council recycling centre, or let them dry out and ask the council how it accepts them.
Can I put a mattress in a skip?
Often, but at a charge: rent-a-skip lists £15 to £30 per mattress (October 2026). Mattresses are not covered by the POPs rules for upholstered seating, so the issue is handling, not a ban.
Can I put an armchair in a skip?
No. Armchairs, recliners and other upholstered seating are covered by the POPs rules in force since 1 January 2023, which require separate collection and incineration. Book a separate collection.
What happens if I put a banned item in a skip?
The firm may refuse to lift the skip, remove the item and charge for it, or add a retrospective charge after the load is sorted. Rent-a-skip puts that charge at £100 to £300.
Can garden waste go in a skip?
Yes. Grass, branches, hedge cuttings and soil can go in a general skip, within the weight limit. Japanese knotweed is the exception and needs a registered carrier and a permitted disposal site.