What do skip companies do with your waste?

Years of experience working in the waste disposal

Are you wondering what happens to your waste once a skip hire firm takes it away? You’re not the only one. This is a common concern, with many people keen to ensure that their rubbish is managed in a safe and eco-friendly manner. Read on to find out what do skip companies do with your waste. 

What happens to the waste we put in skips? 

As the need to protect the environment becomes increasingly urgent, more and more of us are asking the question “What do skip companies do with your waste?” Many people want to know that their rubbish is being recycled rather than sent straight to landfill where it can cause harm to the planet. 

Fortunately, most skip hire companies in the UK are very eco-friendly these days, recycling and reusing as much waste as possible. Often, firms will take it to a waste transfer station where they can sort and separate it into various categories. The rubbish can then move onto the next stage of its journey, being either recycled, sent to a hazardous waste facility, or, the last resort, transported to a landfill site. 

What happens at a waste transfer station?

Once a skip is full, a company will take it to a waste transfer station where they will begin the process of sorting and then separating the waste. On arrival, they will place it onto a weighbridge so they can see how much is there. Next, they tip the waste and sort it into different categories. 

The treating and processing stage can now begin. This involves treating each waste category by type. For example, stripping down scrap metal into subcategories, crushing building rubble, and screening soil. The treatment stage gets the waste materials ready for the final recycling stage, preparing them to go to specialist companies who will turn them into new products, or for in-house recycling.

Many different processes and types of equipment are in operation at a waste transfer station. Trommels, which are rotating mesh screens, can separate different sizes of solid waste. Large industrial magnets extract various metals from the waste. They determine if metals contain iron or not. Sometimes, manual sorting is necessary before mechanical processing begins. This usually involves taking out bulky items such as large pieces of cloth, wood, and rock by hand.

What does waste processing involve?

Once the skip waste has been sorted and treated, processing can begin. At Ward Bros, we deal with the rubbish we receive in different ways, with much of it suitable for recycling.

• Paper. Paper is separated into different types and grades. It goes through a process of washing with water and chemicals to remove any ink, glue, and staples. Lastly, we let the paper dry before rolling it up ready for turning into new products.
• Metal. Scrap metal is in increasingly high demand, particularly aluminium, copper, zinc and iron. We sort the metal into different types before sending it for recycling and turning it into new products. Metals are shredded and melted in furnaces at very high temperatures to produce sheets or blocks before being sold to manufacturers. 
• Garden waste. Green waste like grass, hedge and tree cuttings go to specialist facilities where they turn it into compost for use in people’s gardens and for various landscaping projects. Many different types of garden waste can be recycled. 
• Building waste. Brick, concrete, stone, glass, tiles, and other building materials are crushed to create hardcore. This material can then be used as a sub-base for building projects. Be aware that you can’t throw plasterboard into a skip. This material contains sulphates, which when disposed of with general waste, can create hydrogen sulphide which is highly toxic. 

Skip hire in Durham and Washington 

At Ward Bros, we’ve been providing skip hire in Durham, Washington, and across the North East for many years. We can supply both domestic and commercial skips for projects of all sizes. So, whether you’re clearing out your attic, renovating your bathroom, or demolishing a block of flats, we can assist. We offer a full range of skips, from small 3-yard mini skips to huge 40-yard RORO skips ideal for industrial use. At Ward Bros, we’re very proud of our green credentials, with our team going above and beyond to provide a very eco-friendly service for our customers. We’ll handle your waste in the most ethical manner, aiming to recycle as much of it as possible. We can also provide advice on skip hire permits, helping you to ensure that you can legally place a skip on a public highway. 

The importance of ethical waste disposal

Ethical waste disposal has become increasingly important over the years. Not only is the UK running out of space for landfills, but they are also bad news for the environment. They are a huge source of pollution, producing toxins, leachate and greenhouse gases. Landfills may be one of the earliest forms of waste management, however, they are certainly not ideal for the health of the planet. So, when disposing of your waste, make sure you choose a skip hire company that has a zero waste to landfill policy. This will ensure that they will recycle as much of your rubbish as possible.

Contact us 

If you’re still not sure what do skip companies do with your waste, so why not talk to our team? We’re happy to tell you more about our waste management processes, hopefully reassuring you that we will treat your rubbish in the most eco-friendly manner. Call us on 0191 666 0167 or send us a message via the website to get in touch. We’re ready and waiting to assist you with skip hire in Durham and Washington.