Tool
Can it go in a skip?
Sofas, mattresses, fridges, plasterboard, tyres, soil and paint: what a skip takes, what it refuses and where the rest goes, item by item.
| Item | In a skip? | Why, and where else |
|---|---|---|
| Sofa or armchair | No | Upholstered seating may contain persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and since 1 January 2023 must be kept separate and incinerated, not landfilled. Book a sofa collection, a council bulky collection or a registered rubbish removal firm. More |
| Mattress | Ask first | Many skip firms take mattresses for a per-item surcharge; some refuse them. Ask before you load one. More |
| Fridge or freezer | No | Fridges contain refrigerant gases and are electrical waste (WEEE). Most skip firms refuse them; a retailer take-back, the council or a registered firm will take one. More |
| Plasterboard | Ask first | Plasterboard must not be mixed with general waste in landfill, so firms either want it bagged separately or charge a surcharge. Ask before you load it. |
| Tyres | Ask first | Usually refused or charged per tyre. |
| Paint, solvents and chemicals | No | Hazardous waste. Take it to the household waste recycling centre. |
| Asbestos | No | Hazardous waste that needs a licensed contractor; never put it in a skip. |
| Gas bottles and batteries | No | Refused: fire and explosion risk. |
| Televisions, monitors and electricals | No | Electrical waste (WEEE); recycling centres and retailers take them. |
| Soil, rubble, bricks and concrete | Yes | Accepted, but heavy: a skip full of soil can be far over the weight limit. Use a smaller skip, fill it part way, or hire a grab lorry. More |
| Garden waste | Yes | Accepted in general skips; some firms offer cheaper green-waste skips. More |
| Wood, metal, furniture without upholstery | Yes | Accepted in a general waste skip. |
| Household rubbish and packaging | Yes | Accepted, except food waste in some firms' terms. |