Every year, the UK produces more than 200 million tonnes of waste. Around a quarter of that still ends up in landfill, releasing methane (a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent than CO₂), polluting groundwater, and taking up valuable land.
Recycling changes that story. When waste is properly sorted, processed, and reused, we save raw materials, reduce energy use, and cut emissions. But it only works if the waste is handled correctly from the start.
This article breaks down exactly how your waste gets recycled, what percentage avoids landfill, and why eco-friendly skip hire is one of the simplest ways to reduce your project’s environmental footprint.
The Skip Recycling Process: From Collection to Reuse
When you order a skip from A.R. Richards, your waste doesn’t just get tipped and forgotten. It goes through a carefully managed, multi-stage process designed to extract value from every load.
Here’s what it looks like:
1. Collection and Transport
Once your skip is full, A.R. Richards collects it using a modern, fuel-efficient fleet. Each vehicle route is optimised to reduce unnecessary mileage and lower emissions.
For larger commercial clients, GPS tracking and telematics provide transparency, showing exactly when and where your waste was collected. This small logistical detail has a big impact on overall carbon footprint.
Also read: Top 10 Mistakes People Make When Hiring a Skip
2. Weighing and Tipping
When the skip reaches one of A.R. Richards’ recycling centres , it’s first weighed to record total tonnage.
Then the contents are tipped into a controlled reception area, a large, covered space where waste can be spread out safely. Trained staff and mechanical loaders begin the first round of separation, removing large or obvious items like wood beams, metals, or bulky plastics.
3. Sorting at the Material Recovery Facility (MRF)
This is the heart of the recycling process. Inside the MRF, mixed waste is sorted into clean, usable material streams using a combination of:
- Manual sorting – staff remove contaminants or non-recyclables.
- Screens and conveyor belts – to separate light materials like plastics and card.
- Magnets and eddy currents – to extract ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
- Air separation systems – to divide heavy and light waste streams.
This stage transforms a seemingly random pile of waste into distinct categories that can each be recycled or reused.
A.R. Richards’ team processes everything from construction rubble and timber to plastics, metals, glass, and paper. Each category has its own downstream partner or end market.
4. Baling and Storage
Once sorted, materials are compacted into bales or stockpiled in separate zones ready for transport.
This reduces volume and allows for more efficient transport to recycling partners. Fewer vehicle trips means lower emissions, and cleaner, baled materials ensure the highest possible recovery rates.
5. Transport to Reprocessors
The next stage depends on the material type:
- Metals go to specialist foundries and recyclers.
- Plastics are granulated and reprocessed into pellets for new products.
- Glass is cleaned, crushed, and re-melted into new containers.
- Wood is chipped for biomass fuel, equestrian bedding, or recycled board.
- Inert materials like concrete and rubble are crushed and reused in aggregates and sub-bases for construction.
Wherever possible, A.R. Richards partners with UK-based reprocessors to keep the recycling loop local. When materials can’t be processed domestically, they’re sent to trusted facilities abroad with full compliance.
6. Energy Recovery for Residual Waste
A very small proportion of waste (typically under 2%) can’t be recycled because it’s contaminated, mixed, or made from materials that current technology can’t separate.
Rather than sending this to landfill, A.R. Richards directs it to energy recovery plants, where it’s incinerated safely to generate heat or electricity.
This ensures that virtually nothing ends up in landfill, which is a huge step forward compared to traditional skip disposal methods.
Skip Hire Recycling Rates:
Over 98% of all waste handled through our facilities is recycled or reused.
To put that into perspective:
- For every 100 tonnes of waste collected, around 98 tonnes are diverted from landfill.
- Only 2 tonnes or less are residuals used for energy recovery.
That’s a huge achievement in an industry where the national average diversion rate hovers closer to 80–85%.
Here’s how a typical breakdown might look on a 500-tonne project:
| Material Type | Tonnes Recycled or Reused | Destination |
| Wood | 150 | Biomass, chipboard, bedding |
| Metals | 100 | UK foundries and recyclers |
| Plastics | 80 | Plastic reprocessing plants |
| Inert (rubble, soil) | 60 | Construction aggregates |
| Mixed recyclables (card, glass, paper) | 100 | Local reprocessors |
| Residual (energy recovery) | 10 | Waste-to-energy plant |
Even small projects benefit. Whether it’s a house renovation or a commercial fit-out, every skip load contributes to that national recycling effort.
Read: How To Choose A Skip And How Much Should I Expect To Pay For Hire?
Why Choose Eco-Friendly Skip Hire? The Benefits
Eco-friendly skip hire isn’t just good for the planet, it’s also good for your project and your bottom line.
1. Lower Carbon Footprint
Recycling uses less energy than producing new materials. For example, recycling aluminium saves up to 95% of the energy required to produce it from raw materials. Multiply that across every tonne and the difference adds up fast.
2. Reduced Landfill Costs
Sending waste to landfill is expensive due to taxes and environmental fees. By choosing a company with high recycling rates, you cut those costs automatically.
3. Improved ESG and Compliance
As regulations tighten around construction waste and corporate sustainability, having traceable recycling data helps you stay compliant and win more tenders.
4. Stronger Local Impact
A.R. Richards employs local staff and works with UK-based reprocessors, keeping value and jobs in the community.
5. Positive Brand Reputation
Customers and partners notice when a business genuinely prioritises the environment. Showing that your projects recycle over 95% of waste is a strong message for your brand.
How to Maximise Your Skip Recycling Rates
The recycling process starts on your site. Follow these best practices for better results:
Pre-Sort Where Possible
Keep different waste types separate:
- Timber and wood in one area
- Metals together
- Mixed recyclables (cardboard, plastics) separate from inert waste
Avoid Contamination
Never put these items in general waste skips:
- Liquids (paint, oils, chemicals)
- Food waste
- Hazardous materials (asbestos, batteries)
- Electrical items (TVs, fridges)
Contamination can downgrade entire skip loads, reducing what can be recycled.
Don’t Overfill Your Skip
Fill your skip level with the top. Overfilling creates:
- Safety risks during transport
- Material mixing that makes sorting harder
- Potential for items to fall during collection
Common Skip Recycling Challenges
While the recycling industry has come a long way, it’s not perfect yet. There are still some tricky challenges to work through. Things like composite materials, where plastics, metals, and adhesives are all stuck together, can be really difficult to separate and recycle properly.
Contamination is another issue. If someone accidentally throws liquids or hazardous substances into a skip, it can ruin the entire load and make it impossible to recycle. Then there’s the fact that recycled material prices go up and down with the market, which affects whether certain materials are economically viable to process. And because the UK doesn’t have the capacity to reprocess every type of material domestically, some things still need to be shipped abroad for recycling.
But here’s the good news: technology is getting better all the time. At A.R. Richards we are constantly investing in smarter sorting systems and finding new ways to recycle materials that were previously difficult to process, pushing those recycling rates higher year after year.
Make Your Next Project More Sustainable
Every skip you hire represents an opportunity to reduce environmental impact. By choosing responsible skip hire with proven high recycling rates, you transform waste into resources while supporting a circular economy.
Contact A. R. Richards for a free, no obligation quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of skip waste gets recycled?
Industry average is 80-85%, but leading eco-friendly skip hire companies like A.R. Richards achieved over 98% recycling rates through advanced sorting and processing.
Can all waste in a skip be recycled?
Most can, but heavily contaminated items or complex composite materials may not be recyclable with current technology. These typically represent less than 2% of total waste.
How do I know my skip waste is actually recycled?
Request a waste transfer note and recycling certificate from your provider. These legal documents show exactly where your waste went and what percentage was recycled.
Is eco-friendly skip hire more expensive?
Often it’s cheaper due to lower landfill tax costs. High recycling rates mean less waste incurs expensive landfill fees.
What happens to waste that can’t be recycled?
Rather than landfill, non-recyclable residuals go to energy recovery facilities where they’re safely incinerated to generate electricity or heat.
