Can you put soil in a skip?

The short answer

Yes, in a 2 or 4-yard skip only, because soil is so heavy. Soil is charged at the mixed waste price. Only clean hardcore such as brick and concrete gets the cheaper hardcore-only price.

Why the type of waste matters

Soil is dense, and the weight limit can be reached long before a large container looks full. Soil never qualifies for the clean-hardcore rate. It is charged at the mixed waste price, and soil mixed with asbestos or other contamination cannot go in a skip at all.

What to do before loading

Tell D J Recycling whether the load contains topsoil, clay, stones, broken concrete or excavation spoil. Tell us roughly how much there is. Anything that might be contaminated may need testing first.

Use a 2 or 4-yard skip, as bigger skips get too heavy to lift. For a very large amount, grab hire can be cheaper if the lorry can reach the pile.

How much soil a skip can really take

Soil is one of the heaviest things people put in a skip. A small skip full of earth can hit its safe lifting weight while it still looks half empty. That is why we only take soil in our 2 and 4-yard skips.

Soil, clean or not, is charged at the mixed waste price, because it costs far more to dispose of than hardcore. Clean brick, concrete and rubble are different: they are recycled into aggregate, so they get the cheaper hardcore-only price. Keep the two separate if you can.

Fill soil level with the top of the skip and never above it. An overloaded skip cannot be lifted safely or driven on the road. If you have a lot of earth to move, it is often cheaper to book two small skips one after the other, or to ask about grab hire for very large amounts.

Questions about this waste type

How much soil can a 4-yard skip take?

Fill it level with the top, no higher. Soil is heavy, so a 4-yard of soil can reach the weight limit before it looks full.

Is soil cheaper than mixed waste?

No. Soil is charged at our mixed waste price, even when it is clean. It costs a lot to dispose of, so the old soil discount no longer exists. Only clean hardcore such as brick, concrete and rubble gets the cheaper hardcore-only price, because it can be recycled into aggregate.