The object, which proved to be a piece of non-explosive military equipment, was spotted at 15:30 in Deans Industrial Estate in Livingston.
A police spokesman said: "The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit were contacted to safely dispose of the item.
"It was later found to be an inert training device."
The spokesman added: "The local community is thanked for their patience.
A bomb disposal team was called out to an industrial estate in West Lothian after reports of an unexploded land mine being found in a skip.