The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is advising residential customers that there has been a delay in their normal collection schedule.

The delay is due not only to the increase of domestic garbage, but also to the high volume of waste being collected, such as construction waste and tree limbs, among other debris. The high volume of waste is due in part to Tropical Storm Gustav which affected the island last week.

The NSWMA asks for the assistance of all residents, where possible, to cut tree branches into manageable sizes for easy collection.

When THE STAR spoke with Joan Gordon-Webley, executive director of NSWMA, she confirmed that garbage collection would take some time.

"Residential wastes are collected two times per week. However with the high volume of solid waste to collect, the residential collection is taking a longer time. We have roadside collection which has taken priority. we currently have four times the normal waste to collect," she said.

She added, "I just want to assure the residents that we are working methodically and we are defilthing the roadway, meaning that our workers are collecting debris on the roads caused by land slippages. Our trucks are collecting everything: solid waste, tree waste, zinc, boards, houses and clothes that were thrown out after the storm. I can assure, however, that the clean-up process will be completed in two weeks."

She added that the agency apologised for the delay and assured the public that this situation was being addressed by team members who were working hard to return to the normal collection schedule.