When renovating your home, having a clear-out, or clearing waste on a building site, confusion can arise when considering the best waste disposal method.
If you’ve tried to reduce the amount of waste you produce and considered reuse where possible, your next consideration should be recycling. The best way to minimise the impact of your waste on the environment is always to choose the most suitable waste disposal method.
Recycling waste is crucial, so separating what can and can’t be recycled is essential.
Let’s explore the UK’s various waste disposal methods, their environmental repercussions, and how skip-hire can help you achieve your waste management goals.
Why is waste management so important?
Waste management is essential at home and in the workplace as it can reduce the negative consequences of waste on the environment, wildlife, and human health.
When waste is properly sorted, all recyclables are recycled, with less waste sent to landfills.
As the impact of waste is a worldwide concern, many companies now carry reusable and recyclable products made from materials like paper and glass. This is a step in the right direction as it reduces waste — however, waste is still a considerable concern.
With larger and commercial projects, things can become complicated as waste may include gas liquids and other hazardous substances. Thankfully, we have services in the UK to ensure the safe and correct disposal of these.
Standard methods of waste disposal
Many waste disposal methods are available in the UK, so you can decide which suits your needs based on the waste you need to dispose of.
Landfill
Sending everything to landfill is an old-fashioned disposal method, but a lot of waste still ends up there.
In landfill sites, waste is either buried in a hole or piled high above ground. These sites negatively impact the planet as landfills produce methane and other toxic greenhouse gases.
Always separate your recyclable and non-recyclable waste to keep recyclables out of landfill sites.
Recycling
Recycling waste into new products is a comparatively modern method of waste disposal. It aims to prevent energy usage and reduce the consumption of raw materials and resources. If we fail to recycle, this negatively affects our environment in many ways.
Some products, like aluminium cans, can be fully recycled in a closed-loop recycling process, which requires no extra materials. Other products, like those made from plastic, are sent for open-loop recycling, where raw materials are combined with the old ones to create new products.
Recyclables not placed in recycling bins or properly sorted by waste and recycling companies end up in landfill sites.
Composting
Composting is an excellent way to degrade organic waste, and homeowners widely use composting methods to turn food and garden waste into nutrient-rich compost for plants.
Fungi and bacteria naturally break down organic waste materials to form the compost.
Consider using a compost bin if you regularly create garden waste and food scraps. For one-off piles of garden waste, a skip or waste collection would work best.
When choosing a commercial waste management team for your hospitality business, ensure it can provide a food waste collection and recycling service. You’ll also require this service if your company has a staff or student cafeteria.
If organic waste isn’t composted, it risks being sent to a landfill.
Incineration
The incineration of waste materials at a high temperature is an increasingly common method of waste disposal for non-recyclables as it produces energy and avoids landfills.
Unfortunately, this method has disadvantages, too, as incinerators create and release harmful chemicals and pollutants into the environment. Ash is also a by-product, which is a contaminant in large amounts.
Ways to monitor your waste management
When carrying out a project, you should always consider the amount of waste you’ll generate and the type of materials wasted. Before disposing of rubbish, ask yourself if it can be reused or recycled.
For personal waste removal, consider skip-hire to manage your waste on-site.
If it’s a commercial project, you should assign someone to be a waste data collector so they can monitor the waste within a site waste management plan (SWMP). This information helps you identify how much waste you’re producing and which disposal method is best.
Why skip-hire is an ideal waste management solution
Skip-hire is a popular waste removal method in the UK, providing a cost-effective, efficient, and safe way to dispose of unwanted waste.
At Forge, we handle your waste in an environmentally friendly manner while saving you money compared to our competitors and other waste clearance methods.
Whether you’re a homeowner or run a business, hiring a skip can help with your waste management needs.
Convenience
Convenience is critical when dealing with a large amount of rubbish. When you visit the tip, you typically have to do multiple runs, which involves a lot of heavy lifting.
If you hire a skip, it’s delivered straight to your home or site, and you pop the waste in the skip until collection day. Once you’ve finished, the skip is collected, making it a convenient and stress-free option.
Cost-effective
Skips are an incredibly cost-effective way to dispose of waste, with skip-hire typically costing less than a regular waste removal service. This is because skips are easy to transport, and you don’t need to pay for each item of rubbish as you would with many waste collection services.
Eco-friendly
Hiring a skip can be eco-friendlier than the alternatives. When your skip is collected, we separate your waste into recyclable and non-recyclable materials, saving you time and ensuring all recyclables are processed properly.
Versatile
Skips are suitable for a wide range of materials, including construction and demolition debris and garden waste. They’re also an excellent option for managing large amounts of waste. If you’re unsure what you can and can’t put in a skip, it’s worth checking before hiring one.
Overall, hiring a skip is a great way to manage your waste practically, cheaply, and eco-consciously. A skip is convenient to keep your home or business clear of unwanted waste and is one of the best options available. Contact us today for a quote on skip-hire to your home or business.