The bin strikes are coming to an end today for residents around the north and north-east, albeit temporarily.
Certain streets in city and town centres have been left piled with rubbish after refuse workers walked out over a pay dispute last week.
More strikes are planned for next week, but will workers catch up with collections before then?
Here’s everything you need to know.
Should I put all of my bins out?
The short answer is no, don’t put ALL of your bins out. But you can put one out – so make sure it’s the right one.
You should only be putting your bin out on its normal collection day.
Check on your local council website to see whether you are due to get general waste or recycling collected and put the appropriate bin out on the kerb.
Residents have been advised to put their bins out by 7am on the normal day and leave them out all day.
This is because certain routes may be slower than usual and collections may happen at different times than you’re typically used to.
If this bin isn’t emptied by the end of the day, take it back in and don’t put it back out until your next scheduled collection day.
Will all the overflowing litter in towns and cities be collected?
At the moment, it’s not clear if the worst of the bins in town and city centers will be all tidied up before the next set of strikes begin.
However, Aberdeenshire Council has said its bins along the route of the Tour of Britain cycling event this weekend will be in “tip-top” shape.
In Edinburgh, where a major clean-up operation has already started, refuse crews seem to be prioritising the worst of the central areas.
The issue is that because these areas are so filthy, it is taking workers much longer than usual to clear up.
What usually might get done in one hour is now taking closer to four hours to clear, meaning that workers are not getting around all the areas as planned.
What if my bin doesn’t get collected?
Sadly, this will be the case for many residents.
There are only three working days (Thursday, Friday and Monday) between the end of the first strike and the beginning of the next one, which means not everyone will get their bins picked up.
Councils are asking residents to hold on to their rubbish just a little while longer and to store it as safely as they can.
In Aberdeen, household waste and recycling centres are open though these appear to be shut in Aberdeenshire and the Highlands.
When will the strikes start again?
Further strike action is planned for next week, beginning in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and the Highlands on September 6.
This will last one full week until September 13.
Orkney bin workers will also be striking between September 7 and 10.
Some school and nursery staff are also due to walk out next week.
All of the action involves members of the Unite, Unison and GMB unions.
Conversation