Metal Waste Skips

Scrap metal can go in a Mick George general waste skip, but a metal skip is the better choice for metal-only loads. Keeping metal separate means it goes straight for recycling rather than being sorted out of mixed rubbish. If the clear-out also includes wood, plastics or other waste, a general waste skip takes it all in one load.

How you dispose of scrap metal depends on how much you have. For small household amounts, your council recycling centre takes metal free of charge. For larger clean loads, a scrap metal dealer may pay for it, although cash payments for scrap have been banned since 2013, so payment is by bank transfer. For big clear-outs or building jobs, a metal waste skip is the simplest option, as everything goes in one load without trips to the tip. 

Licensed scrap metal collectors will sometimes collect large, clean loads for free because the metal has resale value. Before handing anything over, check that the collector holds a scrap metal collector’s license from the council and is a registered waste carrier. If your waste is fly-tipped, you can be held responsible. Council recycling centres also accept household scrap free. For mixed or bulky jobs, a metal skip is the better choice.

A metal waste skip takes both ferrous metals (those containing iron, such as steel and cast iron) and non-ferrous metals, such as copper, aluminium, brass and lead. Typical items include pipes, guttering, radiators, metal sheeting, bike frames, metal garden furniture, shelving and old tools. Items must be mostly metal: remove large amounts of wood, plastic or fabric first. Pressurised containers, oil-filled items and electrical appliances such as fridges cannot go in.

Radiators can go in a metal skip once they have been drained of water. Oil-filled electric radiators cannot, because of the oil inside. Washing machines, dishwashers, tumble dryers and cookers count as electrical waste (WEEE, waste electrical and electronic equipment) so check with our team on 0800 587 3329 before loading them. Our WEEE collection service handles electrical appliances separately, so the parts can be recovered safely. 

Gas bottles and aerosols are pressurised, so they can explode when scrap metal is crushed or shredded at the recycling plant, putting workers at risk. Oil-filled items, such as oil radiators and engine parts, leak oil that contaminates the rest of the load and the ground. Mick George does not accept pressurised gas bottles, oily waste or liquids in any skip. Return gas bottles to the supplier, and take empty aerosols to your council recycling centre. 

No. Fridges and freezers cannot go in any Mick George skip, including metal skips. They contain refrigerant gases and oils that must be removed by a licensed WEEE treatment facility before the metal can be recycled. For a single fridge or freezer, book a single item collection. For several appliances, use the WEEE collection service. Shops selling a replacement will often take the old one away. 

It is recycled. Scrap from Mick George metal skips goes to our materials recycling facilities, where magnets separate ferrous materials from non-ferrous materials. The sorted metal is sent to specialist recyclers and melted down to make new steel and aluminium products. Metal can be recycled again and again without losing quality, so very little of a metal skip ends up in a landfill.