Waste and recycling
Information and services for households, businesses and community groups on waste collection, recycling and keeping Orkney clean.
When is my waste or recycling due?
Check your bin collection day and download your calendar.
Household waste and recycling
Bin collections, recycling centres, special collections and what to do in bad weather.
Reduce, reuse and recycle
Advice on cutting waste, composting, donating and recycling common materials.
Business waste and recycling
Collection services, your legal responsibilities and disposal facilities for businesses.
Community cleaning initiatives
Beach cleans, litter picking and how to get involved in keeping Orkney tidy.
Hazardous waste
How to safely dispose of hazardous household materials including asbestos, oils, paints and heating oil tanks.
Where does our waste go?
All waste and recycling from across Orkney goes to Chinglebraes (our waste transfer site) or Bossack. Recyclables are baled and shipped to processors on the mainland. Waste that cannot be recycled is shipped to Shetland for incineration, where it generates power for a district heating scheme in Lerwick. A small amount of inert waste is landfilled at Bossack. Disposal costs around £150 per tonne, so the more you recycle, the more we can invest in other services.
