Skip bins are a convenient way to dispose of large amounts of waste from your home or business in one go. Bayside Skips at Copper Rock provide skip bins, to residents in the Bayside, Glen Eira and Kingston councils of Melbourne, which can take a variety of objects and materials such as concrete, furniture, and green waste. However, there are certain items that should never be placed inside a skip bin in any circumstances. These items posing a potential form of risk to either you, our team, the environment or the skip bin itself, and therefore require a more specialist form of removal.
The biggest danger with having these 9 items is when the bin is being transported then emptied onto a sorting deck for recycling, the items containing liquids spill out, if the item is pressurised it could explode, if the item is hazardous it will contaminate everything else within the load.
Bayside Skips at Copper Rock have a list of 9 things you cannot put in a skip bin, for the safety of yourself, our team and the environment. In this article we’re going to look at each one, why they can’t be disposed in a skip bin, and the safest ways to remove them from your home or business.
Asbestos
Copper Rock is not licensed or certified for asbestos removal. Asbestos is a highly toxic naturally occurring group of minerals that were used as insulation in Australian homes up until the 1980s. As such, there are strict methods for disposing of asbestos, with experts having to come into the building to safely rid it of the danger. You can find more information regarding Asbestos Removal here.
Foods and Liquids
You may think that food and liquids would be suitable for a skip bin, but their contact with other objects and people has the potential to contaminate them. Instead, food and liquids (including food containers) should be disposed of in the general waste bin, or the food & green waste bin at your home.
Chemicals of any Kind
Chemicals present a genuine risk to both the environment and human health and should therefore never be disposed of in a skip bin. When the bin is emptied for sorting and recycling the chemicals could spill out contaminated other items, surroundings and if there is more than one chemical the interactions when mixed could be highly hazardous. You can find more information on chemical / hazardous waste disposal here.
Gas Bottles
Gas bottles are forbidden from entering a skip bin or landfill as they can be potentially dangerous when compacted with a high risk of exploding. Thankfully, most gas bottle suppliers offer a ‘swap n go” service. You take your empty bottle and swap it for a filled bottle. Old gas bottles that are beyond refilling can be taken to a recycling centre such as Copper Rock to be properly decommissioned then recycled for scrap metal.
Oil Heaters
Oil heaters are considered a hazardous waste item as they contain an oil substance within the unit. Copper Rock can accept the heater for recycling once the oil has been removed from the unit and the oil can be disposed of at a Sustainability Victoria – Detox your Home event.
Fire Extinguishers
The chemicals that are inside a fire extinguisher deem it to be a hazardous waste item. We recommend you take it to a qualified waste disposal centre or contact Sustainability Victoria.
Clay and Wet Cement
Both clay and wet cement run the risk of drying in the skip bin, making them potentially impossible to remove if they get stuck to any surface. Clay can be recycled, with potters often welcoming the material, albeit, often under certain conditions. Wet cement is trickier to dispose of, but if it can be isolated to a cardboard box or container then it can be properly disposed of when it hardens.
Paint
Paints can be recognised as hazardous chemicals that can have a negative impact on the environment and human health if disposed of incorrectly. Instead, you can take leftover or unwanted paint to our paint recycling site at Copper Rock as we are a permanent collection site for paint disposal. For more paint disposal locations contact Paintback. Please note Spray Paints are not accepted at Copper Rock and are forbidden from our skip bins.
If you live in the Bayside area of Melbourne and need a skip bin to declutter your waste, then get in touch with one of our friendly team members at Copper Rock to discuss when, where, and how our service can help you. Call us on (03) 9585 4385 or email us at office@copperrock.com.au.
Volcanic Rock
Volcanic rocks are also known as honeycomb rocks due to their honeycomb-like appearance. They are a bluestone type rock generally brown to grey in colour and most commonly used in landscaping projects due to their versatility. Whilst it is common to rid yourself of this material when doing a backyard reno, these types of rocks cannot be put in our skip bins. Only specialised recycling facilities have the ability to dispose of this product often at a cost. We, therefore suggest listing these items for free on the web prior to getting your works underway.
