Workers at the Devon Springs Recycling Plant last night began tackling a mass of piled-up refuse following the tentative resolution of problems that arose due to dissatisfaction with overtime wages, The Royal Gazette understands.

The development comes after calls from area residents and Devonshire South MPs John Barritt and Michael Dunkley for Government to shut the plant down as it was a “health hazard”.

Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott admitted there was a backlog of materials at the plant but said he had no knowledge of whether it was due to any industrial issues.

He said he would consult with Director of Waste Management Alan Hunt today in order to find out exactly what the situation is at the plant and whether the backlog might be tackled with possible changes in scheduling.

Mr. Hunt yesterday said he was drafting a statement on the matter which he would give to the Minister today.

Bermuda Industrial Union president Derrick Burgess last night said: “We've been meeting and we are making progress. It's not a dispute in my opinion.”

Mr. Scott dismissed suggestions by Mr. Barritt that there be a temporary stop to collections and deposits in order to give workers at the plant a chance to clear up.

“We would not stop collecting because that would simply move the supposed health hazard from one point to another. Residents will have materials that they need to be collected. I think that would be a non-starter and it doesn't seem to have been properly thought through.”

Mr. Scott said there had been some complaints from residents over the years about the plant but this was to be expected in the area of waste management “where you have challenges from time to time”.

An Environmental Health Department spokeswoman said she had not heard of any complaints by residents about the site.

But Joseph Perry, who lives close to the plant, said his neighbourhood had become infested with rats over the last few years because bags of unprocessed materials have been allowed to pile up to such an extent that the fence around the site can no longer hold them in. “Its disgusting,” he said. “That isn't a recycling plant, it's another dump. We've been having problems with rats in the last year or so. They're infested throughout the whole area.”

It is understood that the problem was allowed to get so bad because workers believed they were not being paid enough overtime by managers.

But Mr. Perry said he believed the mess stemmed from the fact that the plant does not have enough equipment to process material at a sufficient rate. “They've only got one little baler up there. It's not enough to deal with all that mess. It's got nothing to do with overtime pay.” He said he now encouraged his family not to recycle because he knew that if they did, it would just add to the problem. “It smells and it's a health hazard. All of that rubbish needs to be taken to the airport dump or put in the incinerator. It seems that the plant can't handle the amount of recycling material it gets. They don't get rid of it fast enough so they might as well bury it.”

Resident Lisa Dietz added: “It looks bad. Its disgusting and its devaluing all of our property. What exactly is the hold up? If all of those cans are ready to be processed, why don't they put them into a container or something.”

Mr. Barritt called the Government recycling programme “a joke” and said the site represented “a calling card for vermin”.

“I don't know how the workers are expected to work much less manage what's piled up. My personal view is that an inspection would confirm what's obvious, it ought to be shut down. Experience over the years shows that better management of the facility by Government is required than that which is currently on display.”

Mr. Barritt said management should be “well aware” of the fact that there is an increase in recycling materials in the summer months and also that machinery breaks down sometimes.

“If the situation does become overwhelming, which is the position now, the word should go out: we cannot cope and a temporary stop put to collection and deposit. I mean just take a look at it. It is completely unacceptable.”