A towering pile of rubbish and trash has built up at the Tynes Bay Waste Treatment Facility on North Shore, which was the scene of a major blaze at Christmas 2004 when a similar pile of trash at the site caught fire in a suspected arson attack.

So tall is the latest heap of trash it can be seen clearly by passers-by along North Shore Road in Pembroke.

It contains old mattresses, wood, cardboard and other potentially flammable items.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Works and Engineering and Housing said it is keenly aware of the pile of waste at the facility and is monitoring it closely.

The Government department also gave a public assurance that its crews were working diligently to reduce the pile to a suitable level.

The reason for the large back-load of waste waiting to be dealt with by the shredding machines and incinerator is thought to be the result of higher consumption of goods and materials by the public and by the booming construction sector.

In 2004 the giant pile of waste of that year resulted from problems with a faulty shredding machine that slowed down the pace with which the trash could be dealt with and led to major fire that was not extinguished for a number of days and was tackled by 98 fire fighters.

After the fire two years ago tighter security measures were introduced at the waste facility to safeguard against arsonists.

In a statement the Ministry of W&E said it wanted to "allay safety concerns and reminded the public that since the fire at the contingency yard in December 2004, several measures were implemented to ensure the security of the area. These include barb wire fencing, internal lighting and 24-hour security."

The Ministry also noted the Island's current construction boom has contributed to accumulation.

Members of the public are being encouraged to be sensible when it comes to creating and throwing out trash and to recycle where possible.