Scottish unitary authority · Scotland

Shetland Islands bin collection day

Everything you need for bin day in Shetland Islands: the official bin day checker, bank holiday changes and which bin is which. Shetland Islands Council empties bins in 3 postcode districts, including ZE1, ZE2 and ZE3, covering places such as Aith, Aywick and Baliasta.

Check your Shetland Islands bin day

Shetland Islands publishes bin days on its own website. Use the official finder below to reach the right page, then pick your address.

Find the Shetland Islands website on GOV.UK Shetland Islands website

Once you have your dates, our bin calendar turns them into reminders.

Check a postcode in Shetland Islands

Not sure whether your street is in Shetland Islands? Postcode districts on council borders can be split, so enter your full postcode to check.

Shetland Islands at a glance

Map showing where Shetland Islands is in the UK

22,870residents (2020)

1,467 km²area

3postcode districts

171places listed

About 22,870 people live in Shetland Islands (mid-2020 estimate) across 1,467 square kilometres. That makes it a largely rural area, where some lanes are served by smaller lorries and collection times vary a lot.

Council: Shetland Islands Council
Type: Scottish unitary authority
Region: Scotland

Who collects what in Shetland Islands

Shetland Islands Council is a single-tier council, so it handles everything: bin collections, recycling, garden waste permits, bulky uplifts and the household waste recycling centres. In Scotland, bulky collections are often called special uplifts.

Bank holidays and Shetland Islands bin days

When a bank holiday lands on or before your collection day, Shetland Islands may collect as normal or move collections later in the week. These are the next bank holidays in Scotland:

Date	Bank holiday
Monday, 30 November 2026	St Andrew's Day
Friday, 25 December 2026	Christmas Day
Monday, 28 December 2026	Boxing Day (substitute day)
Friday, 1 January 2027	New Year's Day
Monday, 4 January 2027	2nd January (substitute day)

Christmas and New Year cause the biggest changes. See Christmas bin collections for what usually happens.

Recycling rules in Scotland

Scottish councils set their own collections, and many follow the voluntary Household Recycling Charter, which aims for more consistent recycling across Scotland. Food waste is collected in most urban areas, and many councils charge a yearly permit for garden waste. GOV.UK's bin day finder does not cover Scotland, so use your council's own checker.

Zero Waste Scotland

Not sure which bin something goes in? Our which bin A to Z covers everyday items, and bin colours explained covers what each colour usually means. Shetland Islands has the final say, so check its website if your bin label disagrees.

Postcode districts in Shetland Islands

Shetland Islands collects bins in all or part of these postcode districts. Districts marked on more than one council page cross a boundary.

Towns and villages in Shetland Islands

Bins in these places are collected by Shetland Islands (the first 160 of 171 alphabetically).

Aith (ZE2)
Aywick (ZE2)
Baliasta (ZE2)
Baltasound (ZE2)
Bardister (ZE2)
Basta (ZE2)
Belmont (ZE2)
Biggings (ZE2)
Bigton (ZE2)
Bixter (ZE2)
Brae (ZE2)
Braehoulland (ZE2)
Breakon (ZE2)
Bretabister (ZE2)
Bridge End (ZE2)
Bridge of Walls (ZE2)
Brindister (ZE2)
Brough (ZE2)
Brough Lodge (ZE2)
Browland (ZE2)
Buness (ZE2)
Burnside (ZE2)
Burrafirth (ZE2)
Burravoe (ZE2)
Burwick (ZE1)
Busta (ZE2)
Camb (ZE2)
Catfirth (ZE2)
Channerwick (ZE2)
Clivocast (ZE2)
Clothan (ZE2)
Clousta (ZE2)
Collafirth (ZE2)
Colvister (ZE2)
Copister (ZE2)
Cullivoe (ZE2)
Culswick (ZE2)
Cunningsburgh (ZE2)
Cunnister (ZE2)
Cutts (ZE1)
Dale of Walls (ZE2)
Dury (ZE2)
East Burrafirth (ZE2)
Easter Quarff (ZE2)
Easter Skeld (ZE2)
Effirth (ZE2)
Exnaboe (ZE3)
Firth (ZE2)
Fladdabister (ZE2)
Freester (ZE2)
Funzie (ZE2)
Garderhouse (ZE2)
Garth (ZE2)
Girlsta (ZE2)
Gletness (ZE2)
Gloup (ZE2)
Gluss (ZE2)
Gonfirth (ZE2)
Gossabrough (ZE2)
Gott (ZE2)
Graven (ZE2)
Grimister (ZE2)
Grindiscol (ZE2)
Gruting (ZE2)
Grutness (ZE3)
Gulberwick (ZE2)
Gunnista (ZE2)
Gutcher (ZE2)
Ham (ZE2)
Hamnavoe (ZE2)
Haroldswick (ZE2)
Heglibister (ZE2)
Hellister (ZE2)
Heogan (ZE2)
Heylor (ZE2)
Hillside (ZE2)
Hillswick (ZE2)
Hillwell (ZE2)
Holmsgarth (ZE1)
Hoswick (ZE2)
Houbie (ZE2)
Housetter (ZE2)
Huxter (ZE2)
Ireland (ZE2)
Isbister (ZE2)
Islesburgh (ZE2)
Kirkabister (ZE2)
Laxfirth (ZE2)
Laxo (ZE2)
Leebotten (ZE2)
Lerwick (ZE1)
Levenwick (ZE2)
Lunna (ZE2)
Lunning (ZE2)
Mail (ZE2)
Mangaster (ZE2)
Marrister (ZE2)
Maryfield (ZE2)
Maywick (ZE2)
Melby (ZE2)
Mid Yell (ZE2)
Mossbank (ZE2)
Neap (ZE2)
Newgord (ZE2)
Noonsbrough (ZE2)
North Roe (ZE2)
North Sandwick (ZE2)
Northpunds (ZE2)
Norwick (ZE2)
Oddsta (ZE2)
Okraquoy (ZE2)
Ollaberry (ZE2)
Otterswick (ZE2)
Quendale (ZE2)
Quoys (ZE2)
Reawick (ZE2)
Roesound (ZE2)
Sand (ZE2)
Sandness (ZE2)
Sandsound (ZE2)
Sandwick (ZE2)
Scalloway (ZE1)
Scarff (ZE2)
Scousburgh (ZE2)
Sellafirth (ZE2)
Semblister (ZE2)
Setter (ZE2)
Silwick (ZE2)
Skarpigarth (ZE2)
Skaw (ZE2)
Skelberry (ZE2)
Skellister (ZE2)
Sound (ZE1, ZE2)
South Garth (ZE2)
South View (ZE2)
Stanydale (ZE2)
Stenness (ZE2)
Stonganess (ZE2)
Stonybreck (ZE2)
Sullom (ZE2)
Sullom Voe Oil Terminal (ZE2)
Sumburgh (ZE3)
Swining (ZE2)
Symbister (ZE2)
Tangwick (ZE2)
Toab (ZE3)
Toft (ZE2)
Tresta (ZE2)
Trondavoe (ZE2)
Twatt (ZE2)
Ulsta (ZE2)
Underhoull (ZE2)
Unifirth (ZE2)
Uradale (ZE1)
Urafirth (ZE2)
Ure (ZE2)
Uyeasound (ZE2)
Valsgarth (ZE2)
Veensgarth (ZE2)
Vidlin (ZE2)

Councils near Shetland Islands

Shetland Islands bin questions

How do I find my bin collection day in Shetland Islands?

Enter your postcode on this page to confirm that Shetland Islands collects your bins, then use the Shetland Islands website. Pick your address and it shows the next date for each bin. Copy those dates into our bin calendar to get reminders.

Do Shetland Islands bin days change on bank holidays?

Many councils keep normal collection days on most bank holidays and only change around Christmas and New Year, while others move every collection in a bank holiday week by a day. Shetland Islands publishes any changes on its website before each holiday. Our bank holiday page lists the dates for Scotland.

What should I do if Shetland Islands misses my bin?

Check your bin day first, as collections sometimes run late into the evening. If the rest of your street has been emptied and yours has not, report it on the Shetland Islands website, usually within one or two working days. Leave the bin out unless the council says otherwise. Our missed bin guide explains what to expect.

Does Shetland Islands collect food waste?

Most councils in Scotland collect food waste in a small kitchen caddy and a larger outdoor caddy, though some rural and island areas do not. Check the Shetland Islands website for your address.

Where is the tip for Shetland Islands?

Shetland Islands or its waste partnership runs the local household waste recycling centres. Many tips now need a booking, and vans and trailers may need a permit, so check before you go.

Which postcodes does Shetland Islands cover?

Shetland Islands collects bins in all or part of these postcode districts: ZE1, ZE2, ZE3. Districts on the edge of the council area can be shared with a neighbouring council, so enter your full postcode to be sure.

Bin Collection Day is independent and not run by Shetland Islands Council. Collection dates and services can change at short notice; the council's website is always the final word.