Kirkwall bin collection days
Run by Orkney Islands. Enter your postcode and pick your address.
Council for Kirkwall
Kirkwall sits inside Orkney Islands. The bin schedule, missed-bin reporting, garden waste sign-up and bulky-waste booking all run through the council.
Bin colours and collections in Orkney Islands
The 3 bin types Bin Day has seen at addresses in Orkney Islands. Your specific road may have a slightly different mix.
Orkney Islands bins include the blue and black bin. Tap a colour to see what it usually holds, or check your address above for the next date.
Paper/thin card and metal cans, foil, and aerosols
Paper and cardPaper and cardboard kept separate from other dry recycling. Under Simpler Recycling, paper and card sit on their own unless the council's sorting plant can split a mixed load.
What goes in
- Paper, newspapers, magazines, envelopes
- Cardboard boxes (flattened)
- Greetings cards (no glitter or foil)
- Paper bags
What stays out
- Tissues, kitchen roll and dirty paper
- Heavily food-soiled cardboard
- Wrapping paper with glitter or foil
Glass and plastic
GlassGlass bottles and jars collected on their own. A handful of councils still take glass in the mixed recycling bin instead of a separate one.
What goes in
- Glass bottles in any colour
- Glass jars (lids on or off)
- Empty glass containers
What stays out
- Drinking glasses and Pyrex
- Broken window glass and mirrors
- Ceramics and crockery
Black/grey bins
General wasteAnything that cannot be recycled or composted. Most councils have moved general waste to fortnightly to make room for the new weekly food collection.
What goes in
- Cling film and food packaging that cannot be recycled
- Used tissues, nappies, sanitary products
- Polystyrene, broken china, vacuum dust
- Pet waste in sealed bags
What stays out
- Items that should go in recycling
- Food waste (use the caddy)
- Electricals and batteries (separate route or HWRC)
- Garden waste in volume
Bin day guides for Kirkwall
Practical guides on the common bin collection questions for residents of Kirkwall.
Postcode districts in Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands covers these postcode districts.
- KW15
- KW16
- KW17
Common questions about bins in Kirkwall
- What day are bins collected in Kirkwall?
- Collection days vary by street. Enter your postcode at the top of this page and pick your address to see the next collection day for every bin Orkney Islands empties.
- Who collects bins in Kirkwall?
- Orkney Islands collects household bins in Kirkwall. Sign-ups, missed-bin reports and bulky-waste bookings all run through the council.
- How do I report a missed bin in Kirkwall?
- Wait until the working day after the missed collection, then report it on the council's site. Most councils ask for the report within 24 to 48 hours. The Orkney Islands site is the right place to file it.
- Do bin days change on bank holidays in Kirkwall?
- Yes. Most councils slide collections by a day or two when a bank holiday lands on a working day. Christmas and New Year usually have a published two-week revised schedule.
- Does Orkney Islands collect food waste in Kirkwall?
- Bin Day has not seen food waste collections at addresses in Orkney Islands. Confirm your specific address with the lookup above.