Can You Put Waste in Someone Else’s Skip?

You have a few items to dispose of and you notice your neighbours have a half-empty skip. They won’t mind, right? 

Wrong. Whether or not they mind is not up to you. Disposing your waste in somebody else’s skip without permission is illegal. If caught fly-tipping, you could face prosecution and be fined up to £5000.

Find out everything you need to know about fly-tipping in this month’s article, including who is responsible for fly-tipped items, how to report fly-tipping and how to dispose of your items responsibly.

Who is responsible for fly-tipping?

The individual who hired the skip is responsible for any waste that is placed in their skip. Unfortunately, if someone fly-tips in your skip and you don’t catch them in the act, you will be responsible for disposing of that waste. That’s why it’s best to always keep an eye on what is going in and out of your skip. Alternatively, you could point a CCTV camera at your skip so that you can catch the culprit should someone decide to fly-tip in your skip.

It’s important to regularly check the items in your skip. If someone has placed a prohibited item in your skip and you are unaware, you may get fined by the skip hire company when they come to remove your skip.

How can I report fly-tipping?

Local authorities have different ways of reporting fly-tipping. In Aylesbury you can report fly-tipping by:

• Contacting the local council on 01296 382416
• Filling out an online form

How can I prevent fly-tipping?

It can be tricky to prevent someone from fly-tipping, but there are a few tips and tricks to reduce your chance of being a target.

• Speak to your neighbours — you can’t always keep a watchful eye on your skip, so ask your neighbours to report to you if they notice any suspicious activity.

• Have the skip placed on your driveway or garden — most instances of fly-tipping happen when the skip is placed on a public road. Placing the skip on your driveway or garden will keep it out the way of the general public.

• Cover the skip when it is not being used — a skip cover will deter people from fly-tipping in your skip. In most cases, fly-tippers won’t go to the effort of removing the cover for fear of being caught.

How to dispose of your waste responsibly

If you’re caught disposing of your waste in someone else’s skip, you could face a fine of up to £5000. There are plenty of other legal ways to dispose of your waste safely.

• Hire a skip of your own — the easiest way to legally dispose of your waste is to hire a skip of your own. Use a reputable skip hire company such as Camiers to get a suitably sized skip at a competitive price.

• Use a local authority site or recycling centre — there are sites set up for dumping waste legally. Research your nearest site and check that the type of waste you plan on disposing of is accepted.

• Ask if you can use your neighbour’s skip — placing waste in your neighbour’s skip is not illegal, but placing waste in your neighbour’s skip without permission is. If you just have a few items you’d like to get rid of, politely ask your neighbour if it would be okay to use their skip only for those items. It might be the case that your neighbour won’t completely fill the skip and would be happy to accommodate a few extra items.

If you need to hire a skip or need fly-tipping removal, contact Camiers. Serving customers in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire and the surrounding areas, Camiers offer a range of waste management services so that you can dispose of your waste safely and legally. We have over 45 years’ experience and work tirelessly to ensure that your skip is delivered on time, every time. We offer a wide range of skip sizes and can clear fly-tipping from public or private property.

Contact our team today to find out how we can help you.