It’s no secret that rubbish is a problem everywhere. For this reason, waste management is a topic that comes up often, be it at home, school, work, or anywhere else. In the UK, waste management is a considerable problem because of the massive amounts of rubbish produced by people.
The good news is that skip hires address waste management issues. A skip is a container used to hold rubbish, and skip hires are relatively common in the UK. Their primary benefit is to make rubbish disposal easier, as they make it much simpler to get rid of large amounts of rubbish at once.
However, not many people know more about them besides being used for waste disposal. For this reason, we’ll discuss some lesser-known facts about skip hires and, by extension, waste management.
#1 – The Modern Skip Was First Used in the 1960s
Skips were initially used throughout the 1920s to the 1940s. However, they can only be found on the back of trucks that collect rubbish. Things changed when construction companies in America decided to detach the skip from the truck from which the dumpster was born. This innovation caught on in the UK, which gave way to the birth of skip hire as we know it today!
#2 – The Skip Got Its Name from Beekeeping
The term “skip” is a bit of a mystery. However, most people attribute its name to beekeeping. Before wooden framed hives saw widespread use, beekeepers throughout Europe and the UK used either inverted straws, wicker baskets, or hollow logs as homes for their honeybee colonies.
The inverted straws were referred to as “skep” with a portable and scalable design. The word ‘skep’ originally meant ‘basket’, while the word itself comes from the Late Old English word ‘sceppe’ or from Old Norse ‘skeppa’, which also meant ‘basket’. As time passed, the word transformed into ‘skip’, which it’s still known today.
#3 – The Skip Used to Be Only Yellow
Up until the 1960s and 1970s, skips were only yellow, which is significant because it makes them easily recognisable from a distance. This makes it easier for waste management companies to track them.
That said, it’s unclear why skips are yellow in the first place. Over time, several people have given their own explanations, ranging from the colour being a cheaper alternative to other colours, to the fact that it was used to camouflage the bins during the German Occupation of World War II.
Today, skips come in various colours, as waste management companies use them as a branding opportunity, and it is not unknown for a skip to be hired purely on the basis that a homeowner might like the particular colour in question!
#4 – Prices of Skip Hire Have Risen Over The Years
In the early days of the skip, prices for the skip were very affordable, however, the price of a skip has risen considerably since the 1970s, primarily due to the introduction of landfill tax, with the cost of a small kip typically exceeding £125+ nowadays. Of course, the larger the skip, the more expensive it is, and because the largest skips can hold up to more than 40 cubic yards there is always plenty of choice for either a domestic or business customer to hire the appropriate size.
#5 – Most Skip Hire Companies Are Found in the West Midlands
With so many skip hire companies that operate in the UK, it can be hard to determine which one is the best. However, most of them are based in the West Midlands.
The West Midlands is known for its abundance of heavy industry, which explains why factories and manufacturing companies produce a lot of rubbish. This leads to the need for large numbers of skips, which skip hire companies to use to transport the rubbish.
Additionally, the area has several major waste management firms, so they have more skip hire companies than other parts of the country. With so many skip hires operating in the area, finding a local one is very easy, which means the skips will be delivered faster.
#6 – Permits Are Required to Use a Skip at Home
Many homeowners think that using a skip is allowed only for large companies and contractors. However, that certainly isn’t the case.
However, unless you are planning to position the skip on your own property (usually a driveway or garden), you will require a permit to place the skip onto a road.
The easiest way to get a permit is to ask your skip hire company to organise it all for you, as they will know exactly what needs to be done. Once the permit is issued your skip can be delivered, and you’ll be ready to start disposing of your unwanted rubbish.
#7 – The UK Produces Million Tonnes’ Worth of Rubbish Annually
The UK produces over 10 million tonnes’ worth of rubbish every year. This is a massive number, especially considering that the total area of the UK is just over 50,000 square miles.
The rising amount of rubbish produced yearly is a concern to waste management companies, mainly because the country’s infrastructure is inadequate to handle so much waste. Additionally, most of the rubbish is recyclable because it contains materials like paper and plastics, which can be reused and recycled.
Given that recycling is widely encouraged in the UK, it’s surprising that there’s still so much rubbish being produced. However, people are showing a growing interest in recycling and reusing things, which means the UK could become a cleaner place.
#8 – Food Waste Makes up a Tenth of the UK’s Waste
In the UK, food waste is a significant problem because it’s responsible for over a tenth of the UK’s total waste. Around 7 million tonnes worth of food waste is produced annually, with most of it being thrown away by businesses and households.
With so much food waste, the country has to dispose of it somehow. However, the problem is that many of the country’s landfills are already at overcapacity. Despite this, most of the food waste is ended up in landfills anyway.
Moreover, the food waste disposed of has to be handled properly because if it isn’t, there’s a risk of food poisoning. Food waste should be wrapped in biodegradable bags so the pests can’t get to it and cause a health hazard.
#9 – The UK Spends Billions on Waste Management
The UK is a pretty crowded place for a country that’s mostly filled with fields because of the growing population and the ever-increasing demand for more housing.
It’s estimated that the UK currently spends nearly £15 billion every year just on waste management. Fortunately, the country is slowly transitioning towards a greener future, with more people recycling, reusing, and reducing their consumption of disposable waste products.
Conclusion
Despite the growing amount of waste, the UK is trying to reduce it by encouraging recycling, reusing, and reducing the consumption of disposable products. Hopefully, more people will eventually get the hang of it to make the UK a cleaner place to live in and maybe even reduce the amount of trash produced.
If you’re looking for a skip hire in Stafford, Enviro Skip Hire is the one for you! We offer a wide range of choices for skips, from regular domestic sizes to industrial sizes that can hold more than 300 bin bags, all for affordable prices. Simply go to our website to learn more!
