History Facts About Skip Hire

Today, skips are an integral part of the construction industry. They are a highly convenient way of clearing waste on site, for it to be collected and recycled by a skip hire contractor. Skips are now frequently seen outside homes as well as on large construction projects. But, when in history did skips begin to become popular? And why were they originally yellow?

Find out the answers to these questions and more below. With your newly discovered skip hire knowledge, you could impress your friends with a quiz on the history of skips!

History Facts On Skip Hire:

Where did the word ‘skip’ come from?

Have you ever wondered why large waste containers are called skips? The word skip is believed to have come from ‘skep’, which was an old english word for basket.

Since a skip is essentially a large waste basket, people first referred to them as a ‘skep’, which gradually evolved into ‘skip’. This was most likely because of mispronunciation and changes in dialect.

When was the skip introduced in England?

In the 1920s, containers like skips were used in the mining industry and would be removed by large lorries. Horse-drawn rubbish carts were not strong enough to carry heavy waste large distances.

The modern skip we are familiar with today was introduced from Germany and became popular in Britain in the 1960s. Around this time, interior design was becoming a more popular hobby, as were home DIY projects in general, which created a rise in demand for domestic and commercial skips.

The costs of skip hire in the 1960s

When skips were first introduced to the British public, they were slightly cheaper than a price you might expect to see these days. This is of course due to inflation amongst many other factors.

Back then, skip hire was only available in one size and would cost you roughly around £5. Your eyebrows may have just been raised at how cheap this sounds, but in the 60s it was actually considered an expensive commodity! Relatively speaking, £5 was a lot of money to the average consumer so it was typically only the richer homeowners that could afford to hire a skip for themselves.

Why did skips always used to be yellow?

You will of course be familiar with the recognisable Wasteaway skip, but have you ever noticed that skips always used to be yellow in colour?

This was because in 1971, as skips were becoming more popular, the government introduced regulations on hiring a skip. One of these rules was that skips had to be yellow, because studies showed this to be the most visible colour in the dark.

However, the more observant of you will have noticed that skips now have lights on them, so they can be seen on roads in the dark. Due to this, the government have since removed this ruling that all skips have to be yellow.

How much waste do we produce each year?

Recent studies have shown that the UK produces around 200 million tonnes of waste each year. This is a staggering amount that increases every single year.

With a growing population it is understandable that we are creating more waste, but to keep this sustainable it is essential that we recycle as much as we possibly can. Wasteaway aim to recycle more than 90% of the waste we receive from our skip hire services in the UK.

If you are looking to hire a skip, make sure it is with a contractor who are dedicated to sustaining the environment.

About Wasteaway

Here at Wasteaway, we have a heap of methods in removing waste. We can provide you with skip bags, large enough for storing domestic waste. If you’re using this time to clear out your garden, remove an old fridge etc, be sure to check out our scrap metal services.

For those decluttering on a larger scale, we have skips for hire at great prices too. We’ve put this article together to provide some tips on how to clean and declutter your home for a variety of reasons, such as a clearout before selling your property. With the tips provided, be sure to consider our services for the removal of waste or skip hire.