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Orkney Islands Council - Website Main Section

Waste and Recycling

This section contains a wealth of information relating to the collection, recycling and disposal of commercial and household waste in Orkney. You can also find information on Waste plans and how to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle your household waste.

The material you throw away costs money to dispose of (approximately £150.00 per tonne) as we have to ship the general residual waste to Shetland for incineration. By reducing what you throw away in the first place or recycling these materials instead, not only do you contribute to the sustainability of our environment, but you also make a very valuable contribution to us as a council in saving money that can be re-invested in other key services.


Orkney's Waste Transfer Site - where all your waste and recycling goes

All waste and recycling from households and businesses including materials collected from Orkney's Household Waste Recycling Centre network is delivered to Chinglebraes (Orkney’s Waste Transfer Site).

Some waste continues to be landfilled at Bossack – but this is a small inert landfill site only. Waste and recyclates are baled and containerised. Recycling is shipped to a range of different re-processors on the Scottish Mainland and in England. All waste that cannot be recycled is shipped to Shetland Islands Council’s EFW Plant (Energy from Waste). The waste at the Gremista facility is incinerated and powers a district heating scheme in Lerwick.