Dumpster vs. Skip — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 14, 2024
A dumpster is a large trash receptacle common in the US, while a skip is a similar waste container primarily used in the UK and Australia, reflecting regional terminology.
Difference Between Dumpster and Skip
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Dumpsters are large trash containers typically found behind businesses or in construction sites in the United States, designed for waste collection and removal. These containers are often rectangular and are emptied by special garbage trucks. On the other hand, skips, used primarily in the UK, Australia, and other Commonwealth countries, are similar large waste containers but are commonly open-topped and used for both commercial and residential projects to hold a variety of waste types.
The term "dumpster" originated in the early 20th century in the US, named after the Dempster-Dumpster system, which mechanically loaded the contents of standardized containers onto garbage trucks. Whereas, "skip" comes from the Middle English word "skeppe," used to refer to a basket, highlighting its use as a receptacle for holding waste material.
Dumpsters are usually associated with regular waste disposal and recycling processes, especially in commercial and residential settings. They come in various sizes and are often found in fixed locations, awaiting regular collection by waste management services. Skips, on the other hand, are typically hired for short-term use during construction projects, home renovations, or large-scale clean-ups, and are removed or replaced once full.
In terms of design, dumpsters often have lids or covers to contain odors and deter pests, making them suitable for organic waste and regular trash. Skips, with their open-topped design, are more suited for larger items and construction debris, allowing for easy loading of bulky materials.
The choice between a dumpster and a skip usually depends on the location and the nature of the waste disposal needs. In the US, "dumpster" is the prevalent term and choice for various waste disposal applications, while in the UK and other Commonwealth countries, "skip" is the common term for similar purposes.
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Comparison Chart
Regional Usage
Common in the US.
Primarily used in the UK, Australia, and other Commonwealth countries.
Origin of Term
Named after the Dempster-Dumpster system in the US.
Derived from the Middle English "skeppe," meaning a basket.
Typical Use
Used for regular waste disposal in commercial and residential settings.
Hired for short-term projects like construction and renovations.
Design
Often rectangular with lids or covers.
Open-topped, designed for easy loading of bulky waste.
Waste Management
Emptied by garbage trucks into larger disposal sites.
Often replaced or removed when full and taken to disposal sites.
Compare with Definitions
Dumpster
Large trash container found in the US.
The restaurant's dumpster was emptied every morning to manage waste efficiently.
Skip
Large waste container used mainly in the UK and Australia.
The construction site had a large skip to hold all the building debris.
Dumpster
Associated with both commercial and residential waste disposal.
Businesses and apartment buildings commonly have dumpsters for daily waste management.
Skip
Removed or replaced once full.
The full skip was replaced with an empty one to continue the cleanup process.
Dumpster
Designed for regular waste collection.
Residential complexes use dumpsters to consolidate household trash for weekly pickup.
Skip
Open-topped for easy loading of materials.
The skip's open top made it easy to throw in large items like broken furniture.
Dumpster
Emptied by specialized garbage trucks.
The garbage truck used a hydraulic lift to empty the dumpster efficiently.
Skip
Hired for short-term projects and clean-ups.
Homeowners often hire a skip for the duration of a renovation project.
Dumpster
Often equipped with lids or covers.
The dumpster had a secure lid to prevent pests and contain odors.
Skip
Handles a variety of waste types, including construction debris.
The skip was filled with a mix of garden waste, construction materials, and old appliances.
Dumpster
A dumpster is a type of movable waste container designed to be brought and taken away by a special collection vehicle, or to a bin that a specially designed garbage truck lifts, empties into its hopper, and lowers, on the spot. The word is a generic trademark of Dumpster, an American brand name for a specific design.
Skip
Move along lightly, stepping from one foot to the other with a hop or bounce
She began to skip down the path
Dumpster
A container for receiving, transporting, and dumping waste materials.
Skip
Jump over a rope which is held at both ends by oneself or two other people and turned repeatedly over the head and under the feet, as a game or for exercise
Training was centred on running and skipping
Dumpster
A large, usually metal trash receptacle designed to be hoisted up by a garbage truck in order to be emptied.
Skip
Omit (part of a book that one is reading, or a stage in a sequence that one is following)
The video manual allows the viewer to skip sections he's not interested in
Dumpster
A container designed to receive and transport and dump waste
Skip
Fail to attend or deal with as appropriate; miss
Try not to skip breakfast
I wanted to skip my English lesson to visit my mother
Skip
Throw (a stone) so that it ricochets off the surface of water
They skipped stones across the creek
Skip
Act as skip of (a side)
They lost to another Stranraer team, skipped by Peter Wilson
Skip
A light, bouncing step; a skipping movement
He moved with a strange, dancing skip
Skip
An act of passing over part of a sequence of data or instructions.
Skip
A person who is missing, especially one who has defaulted on a debt.
Skip
A large transportable open-topped container for building and other refuse
I've salvaged a carpet from a skip
Skip
A cage or bucket in which men or materials are lowered and raised in mines and quarries.
Skip
The captain or director of a side at bowls or curling.
Skip
To move by hopping on one foot and then the other.
Skip
To leap lightly about.
Skip
To bounce over or be deflected from a surface; skim or ricochet
Threw the stone so it skipped over the water.
Skip
To pass from point to point, omitting or disregarding what intervenes
Skipped through the list hurriedly.
Skipping over the dull passages in the novel.
Skip
To be promoted in school beyond the next regular class or grade.
Skip
(Informal) To leave hastily; abscond
Skipped out of town.
Skip
To misfire. Used of an engine.
Skip
To leap or jump lightly over
Skip rope.
Skip
To pass over without mentioning; omit
Skipped the minor details of the story.
Skip
To miss or omit as one in a series
My heart skipped a beat.
Skip
To cause to bounce lightly over a surface; skim.
Skip
To be promoted beyond (the next grade or level).
Skip
(Informal) To leave hastily
The fugitive skipped town.
Skip
(Informal) To fail to attend
We skipped science class again.
Skip
A leaping or jumping movement, especially a gait in which hops and steps alternate.
Skip
An act of passing over something; an omission.
Skip
A control mechanism on an audio or video player that interrupts the playing of a recording and advances or reverses to the beginning of the nearest chapter, track, or other division.
Skip
A container for receiving, transporting, and dumping waste materials.
Skip
(intransitive) To move by hopping on alternate feet.
She will skip from one end of the sidewalk to the other.
Skip
(intransitive) To leap about lightly.
Skip
(intransitive) To skim, ricochet or bounce over a surface.
The rock will skip across the pond.
Skip
(transitive) To throw (something), making it skim, ricochet, or bounce over a surface.
I bet I can skip this rock to the other side of the pond.
Skip
(transitive) To disregard, miss or omit part of a continuation (some item or stage).
My heart will skip a beat.
I will read most of the book, but skip the first chapter because the video covered it.
Skip
Not to attend (some event, especially a class or a meeting).
Yeah, I really should go to the quarterly meeting but I think I'm going to skip it.
Skip
To leave, especially in a sudden and covert manner.
To skip the country
A customer who skipped town without paying her hotel bill
Skip
To leap lightly over.
To skip the rope
Skip
To jump rope.
The girls were skipping in the playground.
Skip
To pass by a stitch as if it were not there, continuing with the next stitch.
Skip
(printing) To have insufficient ink transfer.
Skip
To place an item in a skip (etymology 2, sense 1).
Skip
A leaping, jumping or skipping movement.
Skip
The act of passing over an interval from one thing to another; an omission of a part.
Skip
(music) A passage from one sound to another by more than a degree at once.
Skip
A person who attempts to disappear so as not to be found.
Skip
(radio) skywave propagation
Skip
A large open-topped container for waste, designed to be lifted onto the back of a truck to remove it along with its contents. see also skep.
Skip
(mining) A transportation container in a mine, usually for ore or mullock.
Skip
(steelmaking) A skip car.
Skip
A skep, or basket, such as a creel or a handbasket.
Skip
A wheeled basket used in cotton factories.
Skip
(sugar manufacture) A charge of syrup in the pans.
Skip
A beehive.
Skip
Short for skipper, the master or captain of a ship, or other person in authority.
Skip
(specially) The captain of a sports team. Also, a form of address by the team to the captain.
Skip
(curling) The player who calls the shots and traditionally throws the last two rocks.
Skip
(bowls) The captain of a bowls team, who directs the team's tactics and rolls the side's last wood, so as to be able to retrieve a difficult situation if necessary.
Skip
The scoutmaster of a troop of scouts (youth organization) and their form of address to him.
Skip
An Australian of Anglo-Celtic descent.
Skip
A college servant.
Skip
A basket. See Skep.
Skip
A basket on wheels, used in cotton factories.
Skip
An iron bucket, which slides between guides, for hoisting mineral and rock.
Skip
A charge of sirup in the pans.
Skip
A beehive; a skep.
Skip
A light leap or bound.
Skip
The act of passing over an interval from one thing to another; an omission of a part.
Skip
A passage from one sound to another by more than a degree at once.
Skip
To leap lightly; to move in leaps and hounds; - commonly implying a sportive spirit.
The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day,Had he thy reason, would he skip and play?
So she drew her mother away skipping, dancing, and frisking fantastically.
Skip
Fig.: To leave matters unnoticed, as in reading, speaking, or writing; to pass by, or overlook, portions of a thing; - often followed by over.
Skip
To leap lightly over; as, to skip the rope.
Skip
To pass over or by without notice; to omit; to miss; as, to skip a line in reading; to skip a lesson.
They who have a mind to see the issue may skip these two chapters.
Skip
To cause to skip; as, to skip a stone.
Skip
A gait in which steps and hops alternate
Skip
A mistake resulting from neglect
Skip
Bypass;
He skipped a row in the text and so the sentence was incomprehensible
Skip
Intentionally fail to attend;
Cut class
Skip
Jump lightly
Skip
Leave suddenly;
She persuaded him to decamp
Skip town
Skip
Bound off one point after another
Skip
Cause to skip over a surface;
Skip a stone across the pond
Common Curiosities
What is a skip?
A skip is a large, often open-topped waste container primarily used in the UK and Australia for holding various types of waste, especially during projects.
Why do dumpsters have lids?
Lids help contain odors, deter pests, and prevent unauthorized dumping in dumpsters.
What is the main difference between a dumpster and a skip?
The main difference lies in their regional usage and design; dumpsters often have lids and are used for regular waste disposal in the US, while skips are open-topped and hired for short-term projects in the UK and Australia.
What is a dumpster?
A dumpster is a large trash container commonly used in the US for waste collection and disposal.
What sizes do dumpsters and skips come in?
Both dumpsters and skips come in a variety of sizes to accommodate different amounts of waste.
Are there any restrictions on what can be placed in a skip?
Yes, hazardous materials, certain electronics, and other restricted items may not be allowed in skips due to safety and environmental regulations.
What is the environmental impact of using dumpsters and skips?
Proper use and management can minimize their environmental impact, especially when waste is sorted and sent to recycling centers.
Can you find dumpsters in the UK or skips in the US?
While "dumpster" is the common term in the US and "skip" in the UK, both types of containers are available in each region, though their usage and terminology may differ.
How often are dumpsters emptied?
The frequency of emptying dumpsters depends on the specific arrangement with the waste management service, often ranging from daily to weekly.
What happens to the waste in dumpsters and skips?
Waste in both dumpsters and skips is taken to appropriate disposal or recycling facilities.
How do you choose between renting a dumpster or a skip?
The choice depends on your location, the nature of your project, the type of waste, and local regulations and terminology.
How are skips emptied?
Skips are typically not emptied on-site; instead, they are replaced or removed when full and taken to disposal sites.
Can skips be used for household waste?
Yes, skips can be hired for large-scale household clean-ups or renovations to dispose of various waste types.
Is it necessary to get a permit to place a skip on public property?
In many areas, placing a skip on public property, such as a street, may require a permit from local authorities.
Can skips be locked or covered?
Some skip models come with covers or nets to secure the contents, though they are typically open-topped.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
