How to get rid of concrete garden posts pieces without paying on top of council tax?

QQQ

I tried to bring several concrete garden posts pieces from my own garden to local recycling centre in Ealing and they said they consider it as a commercial waste and I have to pay for it. The price seem to be 10 times more than if I hired a skip but this is ridiculous to hire a skip for 1.5 posts.
What is the definition of commercial waste?
Is there any way to avoid this profiteering?
How to get rid of concrete pieces for free?

Doozergirl

What did you drive it to the centre in?

Our local authority has a problem with the type of vehicle you come in more than what you dump.

I would phone the customer service centre at the council offices and try and get some sense. The people that work at recycling centres seem to be a law unto themselves!

Gloomendoom

We have had this problem in the past with our local recycling centre although it does seem to depend on who is on duty at the time.

We have worked round it by doing several trips in different cars. A pain the bum, but still cheaper than paying commercial rates for domestic waste.

phill99

Try offering it in freecycle as hardcore. You'll be surprised who needs bulk to fill in an old fish pond.

Or when you pass a builder with a skip, offer the bloke a drink to put your stuff in his skip.

Mark_Mark

A bit each week in the wheelie bin does it.

missprice

Paint them some weird and wonderful col ours or do a banksy on them.
Stick them in the front garden with a sign telling everyone they are an original banksy and not to be removed, they will be gone by morning. :beer:

Mojisola

QQQ wrote: »

I tried to bring several concrete garden posts pieces from my own garden to local recycling centre in Ealing and they said they consider it as a commercial waste and I have to pay for it.

That's their rules -

https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/200489/recycling_rubbish_and_waste/292/re-use_and_recycling_centres
Greenford and Acton Re-use and Recycling Centres accept domestic refuse and recycling free of charge.* Ealing residents are also able to to use Space Waye, Reuse and Recycling Centre North Feltham Trading Estate, Pier Road, Feltham, TW14 OTH.

*Charges apply at all sites for construction, demolition or excavation waste or trade/commercial waste

cattie

It's not only Ealing council who charge for what they consider trade waste.

During my recent refurbishment works on my home, all the waste was taken to the local tip by the tradesmen carrying out the work. I knew I'd have to pay, but believe you me, it worked out far cheaper & much less hassle than paying for & arranging for skips.

Plus I'd rather pay for it to go to an official dump, rather than risk having some cowboy fly tipping it on somebody elses doorstep so to speak.

ukjoel

Yep - little and often is the best policy. Also large black plastic bags hide a multitude of sins.

Nick_C

You are entitled to dispose of household waste free of charge at the local council tip. Household waste is generally anything that comes from your home and which you can easily remove, but would not include fixtures and fittings, or building material.

If you knock down a wall yourself, and use your own vehicle to transport the rubble to the council tip, that is industrial waste, not household waste (due to the nature of the waste). Many councils will charge for this. Many will allow it FOC if they are satisfied it is your own waste and not generated by a commercial builder, as allowing small amounts from householders can reduce flytipping.

If you employ a tradesman to do your work at your home, any waste that they generate is commercial waste, not household waste.

So if you have a load of general rubbish, such as old carpets, furniture, appliances etc, you can take it to the tip yourself FOC. If you get a tradesman to take it, it is chargeable.

Even if you are legitimately taking your own household waste to the tip, if you use a commercial vehicle you will have to prove it is genuine household waste.

Unfortunately, council tips have problems with builders trying to dispose of waste without paying for it.

Note also that you can take your own waste to a tip without needing a waste carriers license, but if you pay someone (other than the Council or their Contractor) to take it away you must check that they are licensed, and you must get a waste transfer note from them.