Category: Skip Bins

Skip bins are not something most homeowners require frequently, but when the need arises due to a major renovation or a significant clean-up, they become essential. However, professionals in fields like construction, demolition, and landscaping often hire skip bins regularly and have learned the best practices and safety measures. For the rest of us, it’s better to conduct some research beforehand to ensure the efficient and safe use of skip bins.

Safety Gear

• Gloves: When loading a skip bin, we often handle sharp objects like bricks, glass, tiles, or wood, which can be harsh on our hands. Even garden waste like branches can cause scratches. Wearing a pair of sturdy gloves can effectively minimise this issue. Hardware stores offer decent heavy-duty gloves for a reasonable price, making them a worthwhile investment to prevent cuts and scratches. In a pinch, gardening gloves can also suffice.
• Overalls: Clean-ups can be messy, and it’s important to protect our clothing. It’s advisable to wear old clothes, but if possible, opt for overalls. The thick fabric provides additional protection against objects that could otherwise tear through regular clothing.
• Boots: Dropping a heavy object on our toes can lead to a week-long discomfort. Steel-capped boots are the best option for foot protection, although they can be costly. Plain leather boots are a good alternative, and many people already have a reliable pair for activities like mowing the lawn. Quality steel-capped boots are an investment that pays off in various situations and can last for years if used moderately.
• Eyewear: While more crucial when using power tools, safety glasses are invaluable in preventing brick dust or thorns from causing eye injuries. They are affordable and readily available at hardware stores.
• Hat and sunscreen: Spending time outdoors increases the risk of sunburn. Wearing a hat and applying sunscreen significantly reduces this risk.
• Hearing protection: Often overlooked, the noise generated when dropping metal objects or bricks into a skip bin can strain our eardrums. Investing in a pair of earplugs or earmuffs can save us from unnecessary headaches.

Tips for Loading the Skip Bin Safely

1. Even weight distribution: Try to load the skip bin in a way that evenly distributes the weight. While it doesn’t have to be perfect, avoid placing all the heavy materials at one end or on one side. Instead, position the heavier items at the bottom and the lighter ones on top. This prevents the bin from tipping over during collection.
2. Avoid crushing the contents: Attempting to crush the contents of the bin can lead to injuries, such as stepping on a loose nail. Even with heavy-duty boots, there might not be enough protection against sharp protruding objects. It’s better to load the materials carefully and avoid the need for crushing.
3. Don’t exceed the top limit: Never load the skip bin beyond its top level. There will be no way to secure the excess material, increasing the risk of it coming loose and flying off when the bin is being transported. Overloading the bin is not only unsafe but also a legal issue. If you have additional materials that don’t fit, consider either getting a larger bin or making a separate trip. For smaller items, you can choose to dispose of them yourself.
4. Hazardous materials: It is crucial to refrain from placing hazardous materials in a skip bin. This includes solvents, paint, oil, asbestos, plasterboards, batteries, gas bottles, and medical waste. These items require separate disposal methods. Handling asbestos, in particular, poses a significant health risk and must be done with proper safety gear. It’s not worth risking exposure to cancer-causing substances.
5. Additional charges: Disposing of items like old tires and mattresses may incur extra charges, so it’s important to check with the skip bin provider beforehand.

Efficient Rubbish Skip Hire in Brisbane

Whether you’re moving out, renovating, or building, skip bins offer the most convenient solution for disposing of bulky materials. By following the proper safety guidelines and loading techniques, you can make the most out of your skip bin hire experience while ensuring a clean and safe environment.

Rubbish Skips Brisbane

For most of us, it is only on rare occasions that we must remove building materials. This is fortunate because when we do remove the bricks, concrete and heavy materials from buildings it is a major task. These things are seriously heavy.

Bricks are commonly used in buildings. They are reasonably cheap, relatively easy to work with and prove to be solid, durable, and long-lasting. The downside is that these heavy items are hard to dispose of, especially in large numbers.

What to do with bricks

Bricks can be reused. If we remove the concrete that helps the old brick structure together the individual bricks can often be recovered. They will not look especially great, but they are fine for projects like walls that will be covered in plaster, or a firepit, of the foundations for the garden shed. Some people paint old bricks and use them as a barrier around a flowerbed, or to make a garden path.

More often than not the old bricks will need to be disposed of. Certainly, the cement between the bricks will have to go. This is a challenge. We cannot just load them into the average family car, or even a trailer. They are too far heavy. So most people hire a skip bin.

Bricks in Rubbish Skips Brisbane

Skip bins are the best option for disposing of building materials. The trick is to find a skip bin of the right size. And there are two factors to consider here – physical bulk and weight.

– Smaller Skip Bins – 4 cubic meters

– Medium Skip Bins – 6 cubic meters

– Larger Skip Bin – 10 cubic meters and a weight limit of about 5 tonnes (metric)

– Industrial size – 21-32 cubic meters

A very larger skip bin might have enough physical space for your old bricks, but it runs the risk of being too heavy. Avoid this at all costs, because reloading it all into another skip bin is a daunting (and expensive) task.

Medium or perhaps larger skip bins should not be too heavy if filled with bricks. So consider using a medium skip bin, and perhaps making two trips. A skip bin of 10 cubic meters of less should be acceptable when filled with bricks.

Avoid loading wet material into skip bins. This adds to the weight.

Skip Bins Brisbane

A small, medium or large Skip Bin is a good option for disposing of bricks and building materials, or any bulky waste.

We will occasionally need a skip bin in order to deal with a larger load of rubbish. Homes might do this on rare occasions when they have a spring cleaning, or have renovations. Some businesses, like builders, will hire a skip bin at the end of every project. Even white-collar IT companies might hire a skip bin at the end of the year to dispose of last year’s obsolete computer technology. We should take note of the different categories of rubbish, and how they should be disposed of.

Types of Waste – Rubbish Skips Brisbane

Medical Waste – There has been more of this recently because of the Covid-19 precautions. A great number of syringes for immunisation shots and innumerable masks have to be disposed of. Masks from the general public can go in general waste. But masks from those knows to be ill, or from the staff treating them, need to be disposed of in a safe manner

Medical waste needs to be disposed of by a company that is certified to safely deal with this type of material. It is usually incinerated or sterilised by autoclave

Electrical Waste – We all use household appliances and probably computers and phones on a daily basis. These have a limited lifespan, usually a few years. After this time, they are disposed of.

Many modern electrical items contain rarer elements like gold or cadmium, often in small amounts. These need to be recycled. Some other elements in modern electronics can be hazardous, and need to be kept out of the environment. Even older electrical items like washing machines contain stainless steel, which is worth recycling.

Hazardous Waste – This is anything toxic to humans or the environment. Anything form motor oil to pesticides can be extremely harmful. Fluro lights and aerosol cans are also harmful. Look for a local disposal centre for these items.

Green Waste – This is garden waste, plans law clippings, as well as vegetables and food scraps that will decompose after a moderate period of time. 99% of the time this can be put in the green bin collected by the local council rubbish collectors. If you have a large amount of green waste to dispose of in a short time you can hire a skip bin

Demolition Waste – This is heavy material, such as bricks, pipes and cement. This can often be put to use in construction (crushed and put under roadways). Timber can be reused or turned in compost. Glass is easy to recycle.

Rubbish Skips Brisbane

Hire a skip bin in Brisbane for any large-scale rubbish disposal. A convenient way to get rid of all the rubbish in one load.