A new pilot scheme will give residents the chance to get rid of unwanted household items for free, closer to home.
Following a successful trial event in Southall earlier this year, Ealing Council is introducing community skip days across the borough.
The events will help residents dispose of bulky household items responsibly, making it easier for unwanted items to be reused or recycled rather than thrown away.
Keeping items in use
Residents will be able to bring a range of household items to their local event, including furniture, white goods, bicycles, toys, books, clothing and small electrical items. The full list of accepted items can be found on the council’s website.
Items in good condition will be collected by Collect4Reuse and taken away to be refurbished and reused in the community. Items will otherwise be recycled where possible.
Each resident can bring up to 5 bulky items, such as mattresses, beds and washing machines, free of charge.
A new service for residents
In the first year of this pilot service, community skip days will be held at different locations across the borough, with events taking place in each of its 7 towns throughout the year.
Residents can find out when an event is coming to their area by signing up to the council’s email updates and selecting their town.
Council leader Peter Mason said: “These community skips will give residents a free and convenient way to dispose of bulky or unwanted household items.”
Councillor Dominic Moffit, the council’s cabinet member for climate action, added: “Many of the items people no longer need still have plenty of life left in them.
“By reusing and recycling as much as possible, we can keep valuable materials out of the waste stream and give thousands of items a second life.”
The pilot is part of a package of measures agreed in the council’s 2026 budget to tackle fly-tipping. Other measures include cheaper bulky waste collections, new Tidy Teams to act as a fly-tipping ‘hit squad’, and extra CCTV cameras.
Who can use the service?
Community skips are available to borough residents only. Staff may ask for proof of identity and address on the day.
Commercial and trade vehicles will not be allowed to use the service.
If you miss a community skip day in your area, you can still:
- book a bulky waste collection
- visit Greenford Road reuse and recycling centre
- find other disposal options on the council’s website
Find out more about community skips and sign up for email updates.
