Councils hope to clear rubbish backlog by weekend

Councils in the greater Dublin area say they hope to have cleared the refuse backlog caused by two days of pickets on waste lorry depots by the weekend.

All four councils reported that their waste-collection services left their depots unhindered this morning. One lorry was briefly blocked by residents in the Moorfield estate in Clondalkin.

However, a spokesman for South Dublin County Council said the protesters moved on following a warning from gardaí.

He said the council was using four additional trucks to deal with the backlog and advised residents who were due to have their waste collected on Tuesday and Wednesday to leave out their grey bins.

He said a dispute with waste-collection staff - which had seen them docked a day's pay for refusing to take their lorries up to the picket line on Tuesday - has been resolved. The pay has been reinstated in return for assurances by the drivers that they assist with the extra collections.

In Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council, domestic waste due to be collected last Tuesday will now be collected on Saturday. Residents have been advised that there will be a double collection on this route next week.

Dublin City Council hopes to make inroads into the backlog this evening and tomorrow. A spokesman said there have been no protests and that uncollected bins from Tuesday and Wednesday would be dealt with by Saturday. Residents have been advised to put out their bins during the day.

A spokesman for Fingal County Council said its backlog was not severe and would be cleared by the end of the week. Dublin 15 has been worst hit in terms of non-collection and the spokesperson said a temporary collection point has been set up beside the fire station in the Coolmine Industrial Estate. Residents can deposit up to four bags of rubbish per €5 tag at this site.

Last night ant-waste charge protesters warned the "massive disruption to the service will be displayed again if the councils' policy of non-collection and the jailings doesn't stop". It added that protests blocking collection lorries in some housing estates are to continue.

Public health officials have advised householders to "double bag" their refuse and store it in a dry location away from birds, dogs or vermin.