Metal Waste: Skip Hire for Scrap and Mixed Metals

Metal waste comes from plumbing and heating work, kitchen refits, roofing and guttering replacement, shelving and racking removal, fabrication and engineering workshops, shopfitting, and demolition of steel-framed structures.

The right skip depends on what kind of metal you have. Light, bulky items such as guttering, ducting and racking suit an 8 yard or 12 yard skip. Dense items such as cast-iron radiators, baths or structural steel are heavy, so a smaller skip may be needed to stay within weight limits. Long sections should be cut down to fit inside the skip. For industrial quantities, a roll-on roll-off container can be arranged where access allows.

At authorised facilities, ferrous metals such as steel and iron are separated with magnets, and non-ferrous metals such as aluminium, copper and brass are sorted by other methods. The metals are then baled or sheared and sent to reprocessors, where they are melted and made into new products. Metal can be recycled repeatedly without losing its core properties, which is why clean metal loads are so readily recovered.

Some metal objects are not ordinary scrap. Fridges, washing machines and other appliances are electrical waste and should go through WEEE collection. Gas cylinders can be dangerous and are normally returned to the supplier or handled as hazardous. Drums or tins containing oil, paint or chemicals need hazardous waste disposal. Car batteries should go to a dedicated battery recycling route.