How to Keep Your Waste Costs Down - Plain and Simple

That £250 skip just became £500. We know exactly how these charges appear and how to avoid them. Here's the truth about waste costs from someone who's written thousands of contamination tickets.

The Hidden Charges That Triple Your Skip Cost

Contamination Penalties - The Big One

Plasterboard in a general waste skip: £200 penalty instantly. One sheet is enough to contaminate the entire load.

Paint tins with wet paint: Hazardous waste contamination. £200-500 depending on volume.

Asbestos (even suspected): Skip rejected, specialist removal required. If you don't identify and segregate asbestos properly from the start, you're looking at £2,000 minimum in total costs - specialist contractors, surveys, disposal certificates, the lot. Do it right first time.

Here's why: When plasterboard mixes with general waste, the entire load needs special disposal processing. That £200 isn't profit - it's what the disposal facility charges us because they have to handle the whole load differently. We once had a contractor put three bags of plasterboard in a 12-yard mixed waste skip. The £330 skip became £650. Those three bags could have gone in a plasterboard-only skip for £40 each.

PoPs Charges - The Bulky Item Tax

"Persistent Organic Pollutants" need special treatment. Put these in a general skip and watch the charges stack up:

Mattresses: £25-50 each
Sofas: £40-75 per item
Fridges/freezers: £50-100 plus WEEE compliance
Tyres: £15-25 per tyre
Treated timber: £100-200 per tonne extra

Real example from last month: Site clearance team threw an old office sofa in their 8-yard skip. Base skip cost: £180. PoPs charge: £65. Final bill: £245. That sofa could have been collected separately for £30 (or free, depending on your local council).

What Actually Counts as Contamination

Always Contamination (Never Put in General Waste)

• Plasterboard (any amount - contaminates entire load)
• Asbestos or suspected asbestos
• Gas canisters
• Paint, solvents, chemicals
• Oil and fuel
• Batteries
• Clinical waste
• Japanese knotweed

The Grey Areas That Still Cost You

• Treated timber mixed with untreated
• Insulation materials (especially old fibreglass)
• Mixed aggregates in green waste
• Plastics in wood waste
• Carpet in inert waste

The Expensive Surprises

One fluorescent tube in a skip = hazardous waste contamination. We've seen £300 charges for a single tube that someone "didn't think mattered."

Why Plasterboard Segregation Matters

Let's be clear: We offer strong rates on plasterboard-only skips because they go straight to specialist recycling. Mix plasterboard with general waste and the entire load is contaminated - it all needs special processing. That's why the £200 charge exists. It's not a penalty for being careless - it's the actual cost difference in disposal.

Plasterboard-only skip: £100-120 per tonne (straight to recycling) Mixed skip with plasterboard: Entire load needs special processing

Keep them separate, save money. Simple as that.

The Daily Five-Minute Check

Every day at 3pm, check your skips for:

1. Plasterboard in wrong skip (move it immediately)
2. Paint tins (remove and store separately)
3. Anything that looks like asbestos (stop everything)
4. Bulky items that attract PoPs charges
5. Weight distribution (especially in smaller skips)

The Segregation Station That Works

Set up three IBC containers:

• Red: Hazardous (paints, solvents, chemicals)
• Yellow: WEEE (electrical items, fluorescent tubes)
• Blue: Plasterboard offcuts

Cost: £200 for IBCs. Savings: £2,000+ per project.

Real Cost Comparisons

Scenario 1: Small Renovation

Without segregation:

• 1x 8-yard mixed skip with plasterboard contamination: £450 (£250 + £200 contamination)
• PoPs charge for old carpet: £40
• Total: £490

With segregation:

• 1x 6-yard mixed skip: £220
• 1x plasterboard bag: £45
• Carpet collected separately: £20
• Total: £285
• Saved: £195

Scenario 2: Full House Strip-Out

Without segregation:

• 3x 12-yard mixed skips: £660
• Plasterboard contamination (£200 per skip): £600
• PoPs charges: £200
• Total: £1,460

With segregation:

• 2x 12-yard inert: £320
• 1x 8-yard mixed: £180
• 1x plasterboard skip: £140
• Hazardous waste collection: £150
• Total: £790
• Saved: £670

The Contamination Prevention Checklist

Before ordering skips:

• Survey the job for plasterboard (it's everywhere)
• Check for asbestos (especially pre-1990s buildings)
• Identify any bulky items needing separate collection
• Calculate actual waste volumes by type
• Brief your team on segregation (especially about plasterboard)

During the job:

• Label skips clearly (spray paint works)
• Do the 3pm contamination check
• Keep photographic evidence of skip contents
• Remove PoPs items before they go in

Before collection:

• Final contamination sweep (check for hidden plasterboard)
• Photo the skip contents
• Check weight (stand on it - if it barely moves, you're near limit)
• Remove any last-minute additions from other trades

How Different Waste Companies Charge

National chains: Strict contamination policies, immediate penalties, no negotiation

Local operators: May give warnings first, negotiate on minor contamination

Us: We tell you before the skip arrives what to watch for. One WhatsApp message when you're unsure saves you hundreds. And if you keep plasterboard separate, we offer some of the best rates in London.

The Bottom Line on Waste Costs

After 25 years processing waste, here's the truth: A £180 skip stays £180 only if you segregate properly. Every site that doesn't segregate pays 40-60% more than necessary.

The contractors who keep costs down don't have special deals. They just keep plasterboard out of general waste and deal with bulky items separately. That £200 plasterboard contamination charge? That's the real cost of disposal when everything's mixed. Keep it separate, and everyone wins.

Stop Guessing, Start Saving

Need a skip but worried about contamination charges? WhatsApp us a photo of your waste. We'll tell you exactly how to segregate it and what skips you actually need.

Got plasterboard to shift? Ask about our plasterboard-only skip rates. Proper segregation means better prices.

Already have mixed waste? We can arrange segregated collection that's still cheaper than contamination penalties.

WhatsApp: 07949 088642
Tel: 0208 036 3575

One message. Clear prices. No surprise charges.