Degassed and recycled at a licensed WEEE facility
Fridges and freezers cannot go in a skip. Not because we are being awkward — because the refrigerant gases inside them have to be extracted by a licensed facility before the unit is broken up, and doing it any other way is an offence. We collect them, and we make sure they end up where they should.
Refrigerant extracted under controlled conditions at a licensed WEEE facility. Certificate available for commercial customers.
Integrated units, American-style fridge freezers and garage chest freezers all shifted without you lifting anything.
Washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, cookers and ovens taken on the same visit.
One fridge from a flat, or thirty from a landlord's portfolio refit.
Older refrigeration units contain CFCs and HCFCs in the cooling circuit, and the insulating foam in the casing contains them too. Newer units use hydrocarbons or HFCs. Either way, the gases have to be recovered under controlled conditions before the unit is crushed or shredded, because releasing them is both an environmental problem and a legal one.
That is why no skip company will let you put a fridge in a skip, why household recycling centres handle them in a separate bay, and why a man with a van offering to take your fridge for a tenner cash should worry you. If it is not going to a licensed facility, it is going somewhere it should not, and the waste is still legally traceable to you.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment regulations cover any appliance with a plug or a battery. For a householder the practical effect is simple: your appliance needs to go to an authorised treatment facility, and the person taking it needs to be a registered carrier. For a business it goes further — you need to keep the documentation, and for larger volumes you may need evidence of proper treatment. We can provide that.
Empty it and defrost it if you possibly can. A freezer that has not been defrosted will drip the entire way out of your house, and a chest freezer full of ice is dramatically heavier than an empty one. Unplug it the night before, leave the door open with towels down, and it will be ready by morning.
If it is a built-in or integrated unit, it needs disconnecting from the housing first. We can do that on the visit — just tell us when you book so we allow the time. Same goes for a plumbed-in American-style fridge freezer with a water line.
It rarely makes sense to book us twice. If the fridge is going, the old washing machine in the garage and the cooker you replaced last year may as well go at the same time. Washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, ovens, hobs, microwaves and small electricals all come under the same collection, and adding them to an existing booking costs far less than a second visit.
Refits and end-of-tenancy clearances often produce several appliances at once. We will collect them all in one visit, provide the transfer documentation, and work to your access arrangements. If you are already clearing the property, this usually folds into an end of tenancy clearance at no extra visit cost.
Display cabinets, under-counter units, cellar coolers and catering fridges from shops, pubs and restaurants. These are heavier and often awkwardly sited, so tell us what we are dealing with and where it stands when you ring. We will bring the right kit and the right number of people. Certificates of destruction and full documentation available for your records.
Several of these we will still take away — just as a separate collection, because they have to go to a different licensed facility. Ring and ask.
Tell us the appliance, roughly the size, and where in the property it is.
Empty and defrosted if you can — it makes the carry safer and stops water going through your hallway.
Kept upright in transit, which matters for the compressor and the gas circuit.
Refrigerant recovered, then metals, plastics and insulation separated for recycling.
BeforeAfter
BeforeAfter
Questions
The questions we get asked most about this service.
Describe the job and we will tell you which size, or whether a skip is even the right answer. No obligation, no sales patter.
Two ways to get rid of it
Load it yourself into a skip on the drive, or leave it where it is and we will carry it out. Either way you see the price before you commit to anything.
What people say
Fast efficient and cheap price. Friendly and helpful. You have the skip for 2 weeks so you don’t feel pressured to fill and return quickly. I’ve had 2 skips so far and will soon be ordering another. Thanks again would recommend to anyone in fact I already have been asked for your contact number and passed it on
Great service provided. I queried a price and within 2 hours the skip was on my driveway which is amazing on a normal day nevermind in this heat! Lovely to communicate with and gentleman who delivered was so lovely. Would highly recommend - thank you!
Amazing service. Was delivered within about 2 hours of initial phone call. Extremely helpful and friendly upon delivery. Very reasonable prices and collected within an hour of calling too. 100% would recommend to anyone and will be using again in the future
Great service provided. I queried a price and within 2 hours the skip was on my driveway which is amazing on a normal day nevermind in this heat! Lovely to communicate with and gentleman who delivered was so lovely. Would highly recommend - thank you!
Fast efficient and cheap price. Friendly and helpful. You have the skip for 2 weeks so you don’t feel pressured to fill and return quickly. I’ve had 2 skips so far and will soon be ordering another. Thanks again would recommend to anyone in fact I already have been asked for your contact number and passed it on
I would highly recommend Smiths Waste Removals & Skip Hire, placed the enquiry on their site and someone was talking to me with in minutes. They went above and beyond by asking for photos on what i needed the skip for so they could advise on what size I needed, very friendly and helpful through out the whole experience, reasonably priced aswell, i wouldn't use anyone else now.
We’ve used Smiths removals a few times now, always arrive when they say they will and do an excellent job! Reasonable pricing and very friendly! Highly recommended
We’ve used Smiths removals a few times now, always arrive when they say they will and do an excellent job! Reasonable pricing and very friendly! Highly recommended
Lovely family owned business. The owner came and appraised the job first so that there is was no financial surprises. All of the fellas were professional and friendly and did a fantastic job. My garden looks transformed. Thank you so much! Even my doggies are fans!
I've used smiths waste removals & skip hire a few times now and honestly wouldn't go anywhere else. Reliable, professional and always turn up when they say they will which is rare these days. Booked a skip in runcorn and it was straightforward and had a few waste removals jobs previous. Great lads and top service every time
Lovely family owned business. The owner came and appraised the job first so that there is was no financial surprises. All of the fellas were professional and friendly and did a fantastic job. My garden looks transformed. Thank you so much! Even my doggies are fans!
We have been using smiths waste and skip hire for a while now and they have always been polite, professional and most importantly on time and reliable with dropping off and picking up skips! There skips are always in excellent condition too which is a bonus!! Highly recommend 5 star company!! Thanks lads 👍
I’ve used these guys since i started my Plumbing business and they have always been reliable, hard working and consistent! Reliable people are hard to come by nowadays and i can rely on these lads to get the job done on time every time. Thank you for today fitting me in at short notice and getting my own garden cleared so i could get on with other work.
Hired a skip from Smith's waste removals, was dropped off promptly and collected again same day I phoned. Great lads to deal with and very reasonable prices. Would highly recommend, and will definitely using again in the future. Thank you
We have been using smiths waste and skip hire for a while now and they have always been polite, professional and most importantly on time and reliable with dropping off and picking up skips! There skips are always in excellent condition too which is a bonus!! Highly recommend 5 star company!! Thanks lads 👍
We have used Smiths Wate Removals multiple times now and highly recommend their services. Great communication, customer service and friendly staff.
We are clearing our back garden and had a lot of waste which Smiths Waste Removals came and quoted for within a couple of hours then came back the next day and cleared the lot. Excellent service, very professional and very competitive on price. I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone. Thank you for an excellent job well done.
Book in two minutes
Tell us what needs shifting. We will give you a fixed price and a slot, usually the same day you ask.
Service area
We run out of Runcorn, covering Cheshire, Merseyside and the edges of Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Delivery is included in the skip price within 10 miles — past that there is a straightforward per-mile charge, worked out from your postcode before you pay.
