Rogue truckers who try to dump prohibited waste at the Marsh Folly dump site are hurling abuse at Works and Engineering staff.

And according to one staff member, his superiors have ignored the problem and he warned it could lead to fist-fights.

Site foreman Vincent Tuzo said the problem of truckers trying to dump metal, animals and household waste has gone on for more than 20 years.

The truckers -- private one man operations, large construction firms and even from within Government -- try to leave the waste rather than sort it and deliver it to the respective W&E facilities.

"When they bring in mixed loads,'' Mr. Tuzo said, "I tell them they have to go to the Airport dump. They call me everything but my right name.'' Mr. Tuzo added: "I give them warnings. My job really is not to tell them. I'm not supposed to tell them because offenders are fined.'' Mr. Tuzo explained he and his work crew have found dead house pets, bags of rotting food and meat, reinforcement rods and wire mesh from construction sites, and even motorcycles.

He said he checks each pile with a metal detector and for large loads, must pull a tractor away from other jobs on site to turn the pile.

"My job is to find out what is in their trucks,'' Mr. Tuzo said. "If they are here, I have them take it out. Otherwise I get the licence number of the truck and give it to my boss.'' Mr. Tuzo added: "They've never fined anybody. It's been going on for 20 years. If the bosses fine one or two, it will all stop.'' On Friday, a Government spokesman said Ministry officials contact the truck owners and clarify the regulations on dumping at the site -- due to be turned into a park.

The spokesman also confirmed the Ministry had not prosecuted anyone for illegal dumping.

According to Works and Engineering regulations, truckers can be fined $300 for dumping dangerous loads like gasoline, solvents, pesticides, pollutants or waste otherwise unacceptable to the facility -- like metal mixed with horticultural waste.

Approved items for the Marsh Folly Facility are: fluorescent lamps and light ballasts, horticultural waste, dead horses and cows, non-bulky rubble, stones under 4 inches, slaughterhouse waste, swill, tree stumps, and used animal bedding.