Can I Put Waste in Someone Else’s Skip?

The short answer is: You should not put waste in someone else’s skip without their permission. The person paying for skip hire is responsible for the waste being disposed of, so you might make yourself quite unpopular if you decide to put waste in someone else’s skip. Unauthorised dumping of waste on land or a site that is not licensed to accept waste is called fly tipping, this also applies to dumping rubbish in other people’s skips.

Who is responsible for fly tipped waste in a skip?

If you have hired a skip then you are responsible for the waste within it. This can be very annoying if a neighbour, or passer-by decides to use the skip without your permission. If any prohibited items are included in your waste, you may be fined by the skip hire company. So, it’s worth making every effort to prevent people from fly tipping. Even if you are happy for someone else to add waste to your skip, and have given them permission to do so, just make sure they are aware of any restricted or prohibited items.

How can I report fly tipping?

Your local authority will have a dedicated method for reporting fly tipping. If someone has added rubbish to your skip it may be difficult to prove, unless there is a way to link the waste back to them. In some situations, you can also report fly tipping waste to the non-emergency police number, particularly if you have evidence such as CCTV, photographs or if the incident is ongoing.

How can I prevent people fly tipping?

Chat to your neighbours

Let your neighbours know you are hiring a skip, making them aware that you need to have enough space in the skip to finish your project. You might choose to agree with them that they can add an item or two at the end, if you know you’ll have enough extra space available.

Place the skip on private property

If you have a secure area of your property, such as a fenced garden or driveway then it’s worthwhile putting the skip there. Having the skip on private property will also reduce the number of people who can see and access the skip.

Cover the skip

Placing a cover over the skip when it is not in use will also help to deter people from fly tipping. Some skip hire companies will be able to provide you with a cover for your skip. If you do not have a cover, then a tarpaulin weighed down with bricks can be used. This might deter an opportunistic fly-tipper, as they’ll have to remove the cover to access the skip, sometimes just a little extra effort can be enough to put them off! The other option may be to request a lockable skip, if possible.

Lighting and CCTV

Motion activated or permanent security lighting can also help to deter people from using a skip without permission. A CCTV camera that covers a skip on private property also aids in preventing people fly tipping in problem areas.