Skip hire is a cost-effective and convenient way to dispose of rubbish. Containers come in a range of sizes too. This means you’ll be able to find a skip to suit your needs – whether you’re a homeowner clearing your garden or a builder working on a renovation project.
But what happens to the waste you put in a large or small skip after it’s been taken away by your skip hire company? In this short guide, we’ll explain the process in more detail.
Goodbye landfill, hello recycling
Not long ago, all rubbish was dumped in landfill sites. This wasn’t good for the environment, and it was clear things needed to change. That’s why waste management companies began focussing on recycling rubbish brought in on their skip loaders. These days, it’s common for 85% of waste to be repurposed instead of sent to a refuse centre. In fact, at Cheap Skip Hire, we’re proud to say that we recycle 98% of rubbish from our customers.
So, what steps does the waste journey involve?
Step 1: The sorting stage
With a skip hire service, a loader collects your waste, then drives it to a processing centre. Here, the rubbish is tipped onto a conveyor belt until it reaches the sorting station.
The sorting stage involves sifting through contents and categorising them by material – for example, aggregates, wood, metals, and plastics. Workers remove any large items and store them in loading bays.
Step 2: The treating stage
Treatments vary depending on the type of materials the plant is processing. That’s why it’s important to separate items at the sorting stage. It ensures appropriate waste disposal.
Treatment methods include compacting and shredding, after which materials are packed into large containers. Transporters then take these items to specialist centres for the next stage in the process.
As you can see already, there’s more to skip hire than dropping off and collecting containers of waste.
Step 3: The processing stage
Here are just a few ways refuse centres may process materials:
- Hedge cuttings and general garden waste go to specialist waste management companies. The debris becomes compost for use in landscaping and gardening.
- Manufacturers generally repurpose wood and chipboard items, converting them into new furniture items or other wooden products
- There’s a high demand for scrap metal worldwide. It’s no surprise, then, that skip hire companies export waste like this via licensed dealers to countries as far away as Russia, India, and China.
- What about hardcore building matter such as stone, concrete, glass, and tiles? Well, refuse centres often grind these down to use as foundations for driveways, conservatories, and other home improvement projects.
What about the waste that’s left behind?
Material that doesn’t fall into a category is still used by companies like ours. In most cases, energy companies use it to generate electricity in an environmentally friendly way that produces zero pollutants.
Effective, environmentally-conscious waste solutions
At Cheap Skip Hire, we’re committed to supporting our customers in disposing of waste in a way that doesn’t cost the Earth. That’s why we recycle 98% of the waste sent to our waste management centre in Norwich. With Cheap Skip Hire, you can be confident that you’ll get first-class service at an affordable price, too.
Whether you’re looking for commercial or domestic skip hire, contact our team now to learn more or make a booking. We look forward to helping you with your enquiry!