When you’re landscaping or clearing out  your garden, you often end up with excess soil. It can be tempting, especially if you have been digging up tree stumps or planting, to leave it in a pile to one side. However, if there is one thing we can guarantee in the UK, it’s that British weather is always unpredictable. A pile of soil will become a much bigger problem once it rains or snows.

While most people think you can add soil to your general waste wheelie bin, this actually isn’t the case. In fact, if your general waste bin has soil in it, the collection team can refuse to take it. There are safe and legal ways of disposing of garden waste and this article will help you know how to dispose of soil in the UK.

Determine the type of soil you need to dispose of

Knowing the type of soil you are working with helps. Depending on the quality, you could reuse it for DIY projects in the garden or to create a compost heap. Even poor-quality soil can sometimes be used by local agriculture businesses and farmers, who you can reach out to if you think your soil might be of use to them. Always be clear if you are offering your soil to someone else on what kind it is.

There are 3 main types of soil:

– Sandy soil

– Clay soil

– Silt soil

You can feel whether soil is sandy when you roll it between your fingers. It will have a distinctive gritty texture and is normally low in nutrients and even acidic.

Clay soil is also known as heavy soil and can be highly fertile and full of nutrients. It drains slower than other soils and becomes sticky when wet.

Pure silt soil is hard to come by in gardens, but it’s fertile and drains well, making it ideal for planting in.

Once you know the type of soil you have, you can also reach out to waste management companies, like ourselves at TWBC – we can help determine your best course of action and whether skip hire would be beneficial.

Contact a reputable waste management provider

One of the easiest ways to dispose of soil, as  mentioned, is to contact a professional waste management service – we can help with this at TWBC. We will find the most efficient and environmentally friendly way to dispose of your soil, helping to create a greener planet.

Any provider you use must be licensed, firstly to remove waste and secondly licensed with the Environment Agency. Check if the service you are using is able to compost the soil, or how they intend to dispose of it. This will help give you peace of mind about your impact on the planet.

Hire a skip

Depending on how much excess soil you have, hiring a skip may be the most cost-effective solution. At TWBC, we offer different-sized skips, ranging from 2 yards up to 40 yards, to match your requirements. This will help you get the best price for the amount of waste you need to dispose of. You could easily fill the entire skip with soil if you need, or use it to clear out other waste from your DIY project as well.

You will be required to book a drop-off and collection time so we know how long you need to store the skip. If it will stand on the road, you should check with your local council to see if a permit is needed.

If possible reuse the soil for gardening or landscaping projects

If these options are out of your price range, or unsuitable for the amount of soil you have, you may still be wondering how to dispose of soil. One of the easiest and most environmentally friendly ways is to recycle your soil in another gardening or landscaping project. You may be able to use it to create a new flower bed or to keep it to fill up smaller garden pots as and when you expand your greenery.

For hazardous materials such as asbestos-containing soils, contact a professional disposal company

If your soil contains any hazardous materials, you need to contact a professional disposal company, as this will be the best way to ensure everyone involved is safe. Hazardous soil can contain asbestos, chemicals, heavy metals, pesticides and solvents to name just a few. These will need specialist disposal and a professional company can guide you through the process without harming the environment.

Ensure that any contaminated soils are disposed of according to all applicable regulations and laws

Contaminated soil comes from the environment being degraded due to chemicals or other hazards. Any contaminated land can be a problem for building and construction, so you will want to follow UK regulations to ensure that the soil is disposed of correctly and legally. If you are responsible for this contamination, then you are responsible for dealing with it.

For all of your waste disposal needs, our experienced team at TWBC can help. Get in touch today on 0808 168 1427.