Garbage collectors might have to boycott homes which put out hazardous waste including faeces, Works Minister Alex Scott said yesterday.

He said he was very disturbed the public continue to put hazardous waste in daily refuse collection despite constant warnings.

And he said a fresh media blitz on the issue would be started.

Responding to reports that sanitation workers were exposed to animal waste during garbage collection, the Minister reminded the public that animal waste and any items that are deemed hazardous - such as paint, batteries and cleaning products - should not be in their daily refuse.

"I'm actually amazed that we continue to see a member of the public putting out their garbage with a hazardous and unsanitary substance in it," Mr. Scott said.

"This is irresponsible, totally unnecessary and poses very grave health risks to members of our sanitation crew."

He said offending homes might not get their trash picked up but he admitted this would have to be handled carefully because they might simply dump the trash by their neighbours.

Mr. Scott has requested a new communications strategy specifically to deal with this issue from the Department of Communication and Information.

"These types of incidents are occurring far too often, given that the Waste Management section has designated facilities and proper drop off areas for members of the public to discard their hazardous waste," Mr. Scott said.

"With regards to disposing of animal faeces, it is quite inappropriate to put it in your daily refuse. I would have thought this was common sense."

The Minister said the public should allow the waste to dry out, wrap it several times in newspaper and polyethylene and take it to the Tynes Bay Public Drop-Off.

The second solution is to install a yard drain that will allows the animal waste to be washed into an existing cesspit. Flushing the waste down the toilet is the third option.