Unwanted Brick Disposal

Can bricks go in bin—commercial waste

Have you ever found a spare brick, or part of one, lying in your garden and thrown it in the household waste bin? Hidden some in carrier bags, under some shredded paper or in garden waste? Most councils tell you that any type of construction material, including bricks and rubble, should not be disposed of in the general waste. Nor should they go in the garden waste bin, even if you found them while digging in your garden.

What about commercial waste? Can a business that has a few spare bricks lying around on their property dispose of them in their commercial waste bin? The same rules apply. Any construction materials must be disposed of properly. Which means not putting them in a general waste bin that may also include food waste, trade waste or other kinds of business waste. Businesses have a duty of care to dispose of all their waste in a responsible, safe, and legal manner.

So, what about a construction firm that may have a large quantity of broken bricks—or even whole ones—left at the end of a project? Even a small construction project, such as an extension to a private house, can result in a large amount of waste including bricks, rubble, offcuts of timber and plasterboard, and many other types of waste.

What is the right way to dispose of bricks?

Is it acceptable to combine all types of construction waste in a single skip? Hiring a skip for your construction waste is a conventional solution, but there are a few points to bear in mind:

- Bricks, rubble, and other materials such as cement, or soil are very heavy. Hiring a large skip may seem like a good idea but too much heavy material will make it impossible to move.

- Some construction waste cannot be put in a skip (e.g. asbestos and plasterboard). Although it is suitable for disposing of bricks, you may need an additional solution for other waste.

- There are alternatives, such as grab hire vehicles, which can remove large quantities of heavy waste. An added advantage is that they can reach waste in places that are less accessible for a skip.

- There maybe better alternatives than simply disposing of the waste materials. Many products, including bricks, can be salvaged, repurposed, or recycled.

A lot of construction waste, including bricks, can be taken to your local recycling centre (not placed in your household recycling bin) which is welcome news for the environmentally conscious. Alternatively, they can be used for other purposes, such as building a barbecue, or edging a path.

They can even be sold on to other people who want them—old bricks, in particular, are in high demand for renovation projects in listed buildings.

Disposing of bricks correctly

In the case of household D-I-Y projects the waste generated must still be disposed of in accordance with local regulations. Council websites contain guidance on how to do this, and the rules vary from one location to another. There are always restrictions on the amount of construction waste an individual can take to their local waste site and there may or may not be a charge. Larger quantities will need to be taken to a specialist centre, where they will be weighed and charged accordingly.

For larger commercial projects, the waste generated cannot be disposed of in a normal commercial waste receptable. The easiest way to ensure that all construction waste, including bricks, is correctly disposed of is to use a waste collection service. Not only will they be able to remove all the waste produced during the project, but they will ensure it is correctly handled and disposed of.

Please note: a reputable waste management company will provide a waste transfer note on collection. Without this note, the business or householder remains liable for the waste, and should it be disposed of incorrectly—e.g. fly tipping—they may still be prosecuted and fined.

The Environment Agency monitors incidences of fly tipping across the country and may intervene in the case of a large quantity of fly-tipped waste.  For the smaller scale problems, such as a single vanload of waste, your local council will deal with it. They may issue a fixed penalty notice with fines of up to £400, or if the case goes to Court it can result in higher fines and imprisonment.  

Ensuring that your broken or surplus bricks, along with the rest of your construction waste, is disposed of responsibly, doesn’t have to be a problem. Frequently, the builder carrying out the work will contract with a local waste management company for this purpose, but unless the individual or business employing the builder has a written contract specifying this, they are still ultimately responsible, and should check that the transfer of waste note has been correctly issued.

It is never acceptable to dispose of bricks in a bin, whether that is a general household bin, a commercial waste container or any other type of bin. A reputable waste management company can always provide guidance. If you’re looking for advice and help on disposing of bricks in the UK, or any other type of waste, then we can help you here at Erese.

Contact Erese Ltd today:

01375 258022
info@ereseurope.net