Orkney 2025 – Council service changes

Arrangements for waste and recycling collections during the week of the Orkney 2025 Island Games have been announced this week. 

The Games will take place between Saturday 12th and Friday 18th July. 

The key arrangements for waste and recycling during that period are as follows:

• Domestic recycling collections – green bins – in Stromness and the West Mainland (Areas 9 – 15) are cancelled for the week of the Games.  Items due for collection that week are glass and plastic and it is recommended that residents in these areas plan ahead and make sure that they make full use of the previous collection of these materials which will be w/c 16 June. 
• Refuse - or grey bin - collections in Kirkwall and the East Mainland will go ahead as usual although timings may be impacted by local road closures.
• Commercial collections will go ahead as usual, although timings may be impacted by local road closures. 
• The Garson Household Waste and Recycling Centre in Stromness will be closed on Sunday 13 July due to the Triathlon event taking place in the town. All other HWRCs will operate to their usual times.
• Additional public bins will be placed in Kirkwall and Stromness town centres to provide extra waste/recycling provision.  
• Street cleaning will be carried out as normal, however some timings will be altered to avoid clashing with scheduled Island Games events.   

Lorna Richardson is Head of Neighbourhood Services.  She said: “The Orkney 2025 Island Games are fast approaching, and we look forward to welcoming competing teams and supporters to our islands.  With lots of extra visitors comes additional call on our resources.  As a team we have carefully considered what’s required from us and how we might make best use of the resources available to us to cause the least impact on our community.“  

Orkney will have the privilege of hosting the 20th International Island Games in its landmark 40th year since it all began. This week-long event will see athletes from up to 24 island groups from across the world compete in 12 sports: Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Bowls, Cycling, Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Sailing, Squash, Swimming, and Triathlon. 

Orkney Islands Council is a key funding partner for the event.