This service is managed by Infrastructure Services
Business waste and recycling
All businesses produce waste, and most business waste is classed as controlled waste. You have a legal duty to make sure your waste is stored, handled, transported and disposed of properly, without harming the environment. This is known as your duty of care.
This applies to all types of business, including shops, offices, factories, tradespeople, tourism businesses (such as self-catering, Airbnbs and bed and breakfasts), and construction and agricultural operations.
Your duty of care
As a business, you must ensure:
- All waste is stored and disposed of responsibly
- Waste is only handled by individuals or businesses authorised to deal with it
- A record is kept of all waste through signed waste transfer notes
If you are a tradesperson, any waste produced while carrying out work for a householder is your responsibility. Do not leave it with the householder to dispose of.
If you are hiring a tradesperson, you should check that they will dispose of the waste and that they are registered to transport it. If your waste is fly-tipped by an unauthorised person, you could be prosecuted even if you did not carry out the fly-tipping yourself.
Where your business relies on customers to separate recyclables (for example, an airport, hospital or sports facility), you must provide suitable recycling facilities for the materials collected in Orkney: paper and thin card, glass, metal cans and plastic bottles.
Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012
The Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012 require businesses to:
- Separate dry recyclables (metals, plastics, paper, card and glass) and present them for collection
- Take reasonable steps to promote high quality recycling
- Not send separately collected recyclables to landfill or incineration
Please note that Orkney is currently exempt from the food waste element of the regulations.
Related resources
Our collection services
We offer cost-effective, reliable waste and recycling collection services to businesses across Orkney. We do not aim to make a profit from these services. We can tailor collections to the size and needs of your business, including the type of waste, bin size and collection frequency.
We currently collect general waste, cardboard, cooking oil and recycling from businesses. Contact us to arrange a service or for advice on what we can offer.
On the outer isles, wheeled bins are not available for businesses due to the lifting equipment on island collection vehicles. A beige bag system is in place for outer isles businesses.
Bin identification
| Bin size | Material | Colour |
|---|---|---|
| 1100 litre | Refuse | Usually green |
| 1100 litre | Cardboard | Usually green |
| 140 and 240 litre | Refuse | Grey bin, blue lid |
| 140 and 240 litre | Recycling | Green bin, grey lid |
Related resources
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Commercial waste and recycling kerbside collection services price list 2026/27
This document contains Orkney Islands Council’s 2026-27 prices for commercial waste and recycling collections. It covers annual and seasonal bin services, recycling, cardboard and cooking oil collections on Mainland Orkney, plus services for Shapinsay and other non-linked isles, including beige bags. Prices include bin rental, collection and disposal; changing a contract costs £77 per variation. Services run from 1 April 2026, with seasonal options ending 31 October 2026.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
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Commercial waste terms and conditions
This document contains the March 2025 terms and conditions for Orkney Islands Council’s commercial waste and recycling collection service. It explains the Council’s and customers’ responsibilities, including annual waste transfer notes, payments, container care, presentation times, missed collections, service changes and ending the service. It also covers safety, contamination, liability and data protection, with a guide showing which plastics, cans, glass, paper and cardboard can be recycled.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
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Cardboard calendar Kirkwall and East Mainland 2026/27
This document contains the commercial corrugated cardboard collection schedule for registered businesses in areas 1 to 8 of Kirkwall and the East Mainland. Collections take place every other Wednesday from 1 April 2026 to 17 March 2027. Cardboard bins or bundles must be at the usual collection point by 8am on collection day. Different arrangements may apply over the festive season.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
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Cardboard calendar West Mainland 2026/27
This document contains the commercial corrugated cardboard collection schedule for areas 9 to 15 in the West Mainland, covering April 2026 to March 2027. Registered customers should leave their cardboard bin or loose bundle at the usual collection point by 8am on collection Wednesdays, which are fortnightly; festive season arrangements may differ and will be advertised in advance.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
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Oil calendar all Mainland 2026/27
This document contains the commercial waste cooking oil collection schedule for areas 1 to 15 across the East and West Mainland, covering April 2026 to March 2027. Registered customers should leave oil containers at their usual collection point by 8am on the listed fortnightly Wednesdays. Different arrangements may apply over the festive season and will be advertised in advance.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
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Waste recycling calendar Kirkwall and East Mainland 2026/27
This document contains the commercial waste and source-segregated recycling collection schedule for areas 1 to 8 in Kirkwall and the East Mainland, covering April 2026 to March 2027. Fortnightly waste collections alternate with recycling collections for paper and card, metal, glass and plastic bottles. Bins should be at the usual collection point by 8am on the stated collection day, with extra collection days shown on waste transfer notes. Different arrangements may apply during the festive season.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
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Waste recycling calendar Shapinsay 2026/27
This document contains the commercial waste and source segregated recycling collection schedule for Shapinsay from April 2026 to March 2027. Businesses should put bins at their usual collection point by 8am on the date shown on their waste transfer note. Waste is collected fortnightly, with recycling collections alternating between paper and card plus metal items, and glass plus plastic bottles. Festive season arrangements may be different and will be advertised in advance.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
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Waste recycling calendar West Mainland 2026/27
This document contains the commercial waste and source segregated recycling collection schedule for areas 9 to 15 in West Mainland, covering April 2026 to March 2027. Businesses should put bins at their usual collection point by 8am on the listed day. Waste is collected one week, with recycling collected the next: paper, card, cans, foil and aerosols, or glass and plastic bottles. More frequent collections are shown on waste transfer notes, and festive arrangements may differ.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
Recycling centres for businesses
Our HWRC sites at Hatston, Garson, St Margaret's Hope and Cursiter are for household use only. Businesses cannot dispose of waste at these sites. If you arrive at one of these sites in a commercial vehicle or with a trailer, you may be turned away.
Businesses can take waste to Chinglebraes or Bossack, where it is weighed and invoiced. You can also set up a kerbside collection service. Setting up an account at Chinglebraes or Bossack is free. Contact us to arrange this.
Please note that if you transport your own waste, you must register as a waste carrier with SEPA.
Related resources
Chinglebraes and Bossack waste transfer stations
Chinglebraes (St Ola) accepts business and commercial waste including: domestic-type refuse, commercial and industrial non-hazardous waste, mixed waste for sorting, clinical waste (from licensed carriers), separated paper and cardboard (clean and uncontaminated), confidential documents, metal cans, plastic bottles and glass.
Chinglebraes opening times (last entry 15 minutes before closing): Monday to Thursday: 8am to 12.30pm then 1pm to 4pm. Friday: 8am to 12.30pm then 1pm to 3.30pm.
Bossack (Tankerness) accepts: inert landfill waste (glass, concrete, bricks, mortar, tiles, slates, fibreglass wool, clay and stones; no plastics, plaster, plasterboard or timber), waste oil, used cooking oil, asbestos cement sheeting (double bagged, sealed, with SEPA Special Waste Transfer Note), green waste, mixed waste for sorting, hazardous and special waste (with SEPA documentation), and electrical items.
Bossack opening times (last entry 15 minutes before closing): Tuesday to Friday: 8am to 4pm.
Access to both sites is for commercial account holders only.
Related resources
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Acceptable load types
This document contains commercial waste charges, accepted load types and landfill tax details for Chinglebraes Waste Transfer Station and Bossack Landfill and Transfer Station, covering 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025. It explains opening hours, weighbridge entry and exit procedures, and how loads are checked and recorded. It also sets out safety rules, including required protective clothing, speed limits, vehicle precautions and how to report incidents.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
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SEPA: Waste(opens in new tab)
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Financial documents and charges
Agricultural waste
Farms must comply with the same duty of care as other businesses. Agricultural waste must be stored and disposed of responsibly, and a record of all waste transfers must be kept.
Options for disposing of agricultural waste include:
- Our kerbside collection service (for municipal-type waste suitable for energy recovery, but not plastic bale wrap or netting). Call 01856 873535, extension 2320 to arrange.
- Taking waste to Chinglebraes or Bossack. Refer to the Council Charges register for prices.
- Plastic wrap can be taken to Isbister Bros Ltd in Kirkwall or Quoyloo, which ships it to Solway Recycling. Plastic must be clean and delivered in bags from Birsay Farmers. Contact Isbister Bros first on 01856 841525. Note: if you transport the waste yourself you must register as a waste carrier with SEPA.
Since 1 January 2019, the burning of most on-farm waste has been banned.
Related resources
Event waste management
We can provide waste management support for events of all sizes, including litter picking, bin hire and waste transportation. Contact us for a quote and see the Council Charges register for standard costs.
Waste advice for businesses
We can offer free advice, presentations and waste health checks to help your business recycle more and comply with the regulations. Contact us to arrange a visit or a presentation.
Spillage
Trade waste must be packed in suitable containers so it cannot fall out, blow away or escape. If you need to report a spillage of commercial waste, call 01856 873535.
Deposit Return Scheme
The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is due to begin in October 2027. If your business sells drinks in single-use glass, plastic or metal containers, you will have a legal obligation to accept returns and refund the 20p deposit.