Spring has arrived, and with it comes Orkney’s annual community cleanup campaign, Bag the Bruck, running throughout the month of April 2026. Residents, community groups, and volunteers of all ages are once again invited to take part in helping keep Orkney’s shores, road verges, paths and public spaces clean.
As in previous years, volunteers are asked to register their clean-up event in advance using the booking form which is on the Greener Orkney website, the Bag the Bruck 2026 Facebook page or by emailing bagthebruck@gmail.com. Registrations need to be completed by the 20th March to ensure distribution of the bags and children’s gloves by the end of March ready for April.
“There is nothing so refreshing as getting out in the fresh Spring air and doing something useful like clearing bruck,” said Bag the Bruck organiser Jane Nelson.
“It is really important after completing a clean-up that participants should record the details using the collection form,” urged Jane. “The form helps us track the impact of the initiative, but also to make sure that the bruck that can’t be taken away is not left littering the countryside.”
Orkney’s Community Councils continue to support Bag the Bruck by offering small grants to local charities and youth groups undertaking clean-ups within their area. Contact details for each Community Council can be found on the Orkney Islands Council website. Applicants should contact their relevant council in advance, and will need to confirm that they have submitted the Bag the Bruck registration forms as part of the process.
The OIC Waste Management team manages disposal of collected bruck. Where possible, volunteers are asked to take waste home for household disposal or recycling, or to make use of local Household Waste and Recycling Centres. For larger items or where this isn’t feasible, volunteers should follow the instructions provided in the collection form and leave materials at an OIC-approved location for uplift.
This year’s campaign also includes a new element in support of the Marine Environmental Unit, which is collecting information on any dead fulmars found on beaches. Volunteers are encouraged to record sightings as part of their clean-up to assist with environmental monitoring and a guidance sheet is part of the Bag the Bruck pack for 2026.
Anyone with questions about this year’s Bag the Bruck campaign can contact the organising team via bagthebruck@gmail.com.
Bag the Bruck 2026 is proudly supported by Greener Orkney, Orkney Islands Council, Scottish SeaFarms, Cooke Scotland, and SSEN.
Greener Orkney’s Bag the Bruck page has full details of the event, with information sheets and booking/collection forms: