Posted on 9th October 2020 by Hintons
When thinking about disposing of waste, a lot of people wonder if you can put items in someone else’s skip. It’s a cheeky manoeuvre which causes headaches for everyone involved – the person hiring the skip, the skip company and possibly even the person putting their rubbish in someone else’s skip.
This month, at Hinton’s Waste, we’ll talk you through why it’s bad to have someone else’s rubbish in your skip, what can happen and provide tips for people looking to get rid of their waste responsibly.
Who is responsible if someone puts their waste in my skip?
Ultimately, and quite annoyingly, you are responsible for the waste which is in your skip. If someone else dumps their rubbish in your skip, it’s possible that they could be fined for fly tipping, but you’d have to have hard proof – such as footage of them clearly shown committing the act.
You hired the skip, and it’ll be up to you to keep an eye on it to make sure no unwanted items end up in there as you may face additional costs once the skip is taken away if it’s found to contain things the company doesn’t accept. You can find out more about what can and cannot go in Hinton’s Waste skips in our previous article here.
Who can you report fly tipping to?
Most local authorities will have a dedicated way for you to report fly tipping. Croydon has a number of ways which you can get in touch with the local authorities, including:
- Online reporting
- Messaging (file under environmental problem)
- Calling the Croydon environmental team (020 8726 6200)
However, if someone tips their rubbish in your skip, this can be difficult to prove unless the waste links back to them. A more immediate response may be easier to get through the Don’t Mess with Croydon app, or you could call a non-emergency police number if someone is currently tipping their waste illegally.
How to prevent fly tipping
There are a number of things you can do to reduce the likelihood of someone tipping their waste in your skip and landing you in trouble. Of course, not all waste put in by someone else – a scrap piece of wood or brick – will be an issue, but you want to avoid people using your skip without your permission:
- Talk to your neighbours – Let your neighbours know you’ll be using a skip, this usually helps to ensure they know who it belongs to and that it isn’t a random placement for them to use. Of course, after you’ve filled what you need – if there is space – you could always ask them if they have any qualifying waste they’d like to place in the skip.
- Have it placed in your garden – A skip on the street will mean fly tippers can easily stop and throw out their waste. A skip on your driveway makes them less likely, but while you’re out they may still attempt it, so if you get a skip in your back garden it will mean you can rest easy knowing only your waste is being disposed of in the skip.
- Cover the skip – If you’re not using your skip for the day or you want to protect it overnight, try covering it with a tarpaulin or large sheet. Tie or weigh this down and it will certainly cut down the number of people trying to quickly dispose of their waste.
Alternatives if you’re considering fly tipping
Are you someone who regularly uses skips other people have hired? Or are you tempted to fly-tip to get rid of your waste? Don’t do it! Here are a number of ways you can legally and safely dispose of the waste and avoid the costly fine (one man in Great Yarmouth was fined £800 back in 2016).
- Get your own skip – You know you need to get rid of waste, so why not avoid a huge fine and get your own skip? It makes life a lot easier for you and your community.
- Use a local authority site – If you only need to throw out one item or a very small bag of garden waste, check your local authority site opening times and take it there for free instead.
- Ask your neighbour – If your neighbour has a skip and you only have a few pieces of rubbish to dispose of, ask them politely if they wouldn’t mind you throwing in your bit of rubbish if there’s still room at the end. They may say no if they plan on filling the whole thing, but if they’ve overestimated the size of skip they need, they may come back to you later.
If you’ve been the victim of fly tipping and need the waste cleared away, look no further than Hinton’s Waste. We also offer skip hire in a variety of sizes if you’re looking for a swift and legal way to dispose of waste from your project – especially handy while we’re all spending more time at home.
Contact us today to book for skip hire in Croydon or to arrange for fly tipping clearance and we’ll be happy to help.