than a month after it was launched.

The Royal Gazette understands that recyclables put out in clear blue bags have not been collected from at least two spots on the Island since the scheme began on November 16.

Residents on Fritholme Estate, off the South Shore Road in Paget, and Jones Lane, off Harbour Road in Warwick, said yesterday that despite placing their recyclables in clear blue bags and putting them out on their new pick-up day -- Friday -- they have not been collected.

Works and Engineering Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira, who was aware of the Jones Lane problem, said he would make sure that the bags were collected today.

He claimed that generally the collection scheme, which has regular trash trucks picking up non-recyclable garbage and Talbot Enterprises collecting the recyclables, was "very good''.

But he admitted that there had been some "teething'' problems.

The non-collection of trash, he said, might be due to new garbage men working for Talbot Enterprises.

"They had dry runs,'' he said. "They're not yet as good as our garbage men.

But they are still doing quite well.'' Dr. Terceira said the public should let his department know as soon as possible when there were problems so they could rectify the situation.

He said they were also experiencing problems with some people putting regular garbage into the clear blue bags and some still putting out their trash on the wrong days.

"We have had a truck going the next day to pick up the trash when this happens,'' he added.

"When we first started we expected some teething pains. But it is getting better.'' The Works and Engineering Ministry released an update yesterday on the waste collection since the introduction of various recycling programmes.

"With the commencement of the recent residential collection of recyclables, total volume of materials recycled has increased significantly at the Devon Springs facility,'' it stated.

Since the opening of the facility 140 tons of glass; 19 tons of food tins; 92 tons of newspaper; and 22 tons of aluminium cans have been recycled.