General Waste Skips

General waste is mixed, non-hazardous waste from homes, gardens and building work that has not been sorted into single materials. In a Mick Geoge general waste skip, that includes plastics, packaging, wood, metal, flooring and old fixtures such as doors, baths, taps and worktops. The 6 and 8 yard general waste skips also take waste such as bricks, tile and rubble. Hazardous waste, upholstered seating and large electricals are not classed as general waste.

No. A general waste skip takes most mixed household and renovation waste, but hazardous waste and some everyday items such as sofas, armchairs, fridges and TVs are excluded because the law requires them to be handled separately. Loading banned items can lead to an extra charge. For large amounts of one heavy material, such as rubble or soil, a hardcore skip or muck skip is usually cheaper than mixing it in. 

The following cannot go in a Mick George general waste skip: asbestos, paint, solvents, oils and other liquids, batteries, gas bottles, tyres, fluorescent tubes, fridges and freezers, TV’s and computer monitors, vapes, upholstered seating such as sofas and armchairs, hazardous wood and telegraph poles. Asbestos can go in an enclosed asbestos skip and we offer separate hazardous waste disposal for most of the rest. If in doubt, call 0800 587 3329 before loading. 

Since January 2023, upholstered seating such as sofas, sofa beds, armchairs and padded chairs have been classed as POPs waste (continuing persistent organic pollutant, long-lasting harmful chemicals) under Environment Agency rules. It must be kept separate and incinerated and incinerated rather than mixed with other waste. Mattresses, beds and curtains are not covered by these rules. For a sofa or armchair, book a single item collection instead. 

Yes. Mick George general waste skips accept plasterboard along with other household and building waste. If a job produces mostly plasterboard, such as a ceiling replacement or a partition strip-out, book a dedicated plasterboard skip so the gypsum stays clean and can be recycled.

No. Fridges, freezers, TV’s and computer monitors are not allowed ina mick George skip.They contain gases, chemicals and parts that must be removed and recycled under the WEEE rules (waste electrical and electronic equipment). Mick George runs a separate WEEE collection service and a single fridge freezer can go on single item collection. 

For a few bags of household rubbish, the cheapest options are your council bin collection or a free trip to your council’s household recycling centre. For larger amounts, a general waste skip bag costs from £61.25 + VAT. A 6 yard general waste skip holds 50 to 60 bin bags, and an 8 yard skip holds 60 to 80. Most council tips do not accept business waste, so businesses should use commercial waste bins or a skip instead. 

Yes, as much of it as possible. Waste from Mick George general waste skips goes to our own materials recycling facilities, where machines sort through it. Trommels (rotating screens) remove large recyclable items, magnets pull out steel and iron, optical sorters separate plastics and air classifiers lift out paper and other light materials. The recovered materials are sent for recycling. Waste too small or dirty to recycle is turned into refuse derived fuel (RDF), which power stations in place of coal.