How full can a skip be?

Years of experience working in the waste disposal

“How full can a skip be?” is a question we get asked a lot here at Ward Bros. After all, it can be tempting for people to throw as much as possible into a skip in order to try and get more for their money. However, it’s important to understand that skips shouldn’t be filled beyond their maximum fill level. Which is often denoted by a red fill line at the very top of the skip. Keep reading to find out more about filling skips. 

Do all skips have fill lines?

Most skips have fill lines on their inside walls to indicate the maximum level to which they can be filled safely. However, not all do. Some companies may choose not to include fill lines on their skips, instead relying on other methods to determine the safe fill level, such as the type and size of the skip. We recommend checking with the skip hire company you’re using to find out if their skips have fill lines or if they have alternative guidelines for determining the fill level. If the skip you hire does have a fill line, it’s vital that you comply with it and don’t fill it beyond this level. 

What does the law say about overfilling skips?

In the UK, the law requires that skips are filled within certain limits. Overfilling a skip can present safety hazards and potentially lead injuries to people or damage to property. Whilst there’s no specific law that addresses overfilling of skips, there are regulations in place to govern their safe use. These regulations are primarily enforced by local authorities and waste management agencies.

5 reasons not to overfill a skip

• Safety hazards. Overfilling a skip can create serious safety hazards, particularly during transportation. Any loose materials can easily fly out of an overfilled skip, potentially causing injuries to pedestrians or damage to passing vehicles. Overfilling the skip can also lead to an unbalanced load, further increasing the chances of accidents or damage occurring. 
• Delays to your project. If you overfill a skip, there’s a good chance that it will delay your project. This is because your skip hire company may refuse to take away the skip due to safety and legal reasons. You may need to remove some of the excess waste before they will take it away.
• Comply with the law. Overfilling a skip is actually illegal. This means you could face a hefty fine from your local authority if they catch you. Other penalties and legal consequences are possible too. You have a legal responsibility to manage waste properly, which includes using skips within the designated fill levels. 
• Environmental impact. Overfilling a skip can result in waste spilling out of it, causing littering that can eventually contribute to environmental pollution. Filling the skip within its designated fill level ensures that you’re disposing of waste responsibly and helps to prevent any materials from escaping the skip and causing harm to the environment.
• Efficient waste disposal. When you fill a skip properly, you’ll maximise its capacity, allowing you to dispose of waste more efficiently. Overfilling a skip can reduce its effectiveness since it might not be able to accommodate additional waste. By only filling the skip up to the fill level, you can ensure more effective waste management.

What happens if I overfill a skip? 

Whilst the consequences of overfilling a skip can vary depending on local regulations and the discretion of the skip hire company, they can often be serious. Usually, a skip firm will refuse to collect a skip that’s too full. They will often request that the excess waste is removed to bring it within the permitted fill level. Obviously, this can cause delays with rubbish disposal. 

You could also face additional charges if the skip company is required to correct the issue on your behalf. More seriously, you could face a steep fine from your local authority for a breach of waste management regulations or environmental harm. If you persistently overfill skips, this could lead to legal consequences, including prosecution or court appearances.

As you can see, overfilling a skip doesn’t come without cost. At best, you could find yourself forced to take out all the excess waste before the skip hire company will remove it from your site. At worst, you could face fines, penalties and even prosecution. 

Skip hire in Washington

Now you know how full can a skip be, you may be ready to enlist our services. At Ward Bros, we can supply skips of all types and sizes, ranging from small mini skips ideal for domestic projects to builders’ skips and maxi skips for big commercial jobs. We also offer huge 40-yard Roll-on-Roll-off skips which are best suited to construction and demolition work. 

You can throw most items and materials into our skips, making them great for all types of projects. Whether you’re clearing junk from your loft or garage, renovating your kitchen or bathroom or taking on a big commercial building project, you can rest assured that we have a skip to meet your needs. Our skips are available at short notice, with same or next-day delivery often available. The prices we charge for skip hire in Washington are very competitive too, which means you’ll never pay over the odds for our service. 

Contact us

If you’re still not sure how full a skip can be or you have other questions about skip hire in Washington, get in touch today. You can reach us by phoning us on 0191 666 0167 or by sending us a message via our website. We have skips of all sizes available for hire right now.