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.
*** Revised guidance on bins following community feedback ***
Further Information
- Agricultural Waste
- Community Cleaning Initiatives
- Hazardous Waste Materials
- Policies and Plans - Waste and Recycling
Bin clips
The Council has identified two suitable bin straps which residents can use if they need a solution for keeping the lid on their bins on windy days. They are quick and safe to unhook and have been tested by the collection crews on the bin lorries to make sure they don’t get tangled in the lifting mechanisms. They are:
- Schafer clips - these can be purchased from School Place, Kirkwall and Warehouse Building in Stromness, for £5.50
- Caithness Beach Clean bin closers - made from recycled material can be found on the online Etsy shop, StormWashed
Only one clip per bin is needed. Clips cannot be delivered by the Council. Find out more by reading our press release, or watch our video below.
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.
