HOUSEHOLDERS have been advised to keep their rubbish securely stored following the start of strike action yesterday by a section of South Dublin County County Council employees.
The warning that rubbish in the council catchment area will not be collected "until further notice" came after two months of protracted negotiations and a reduced refuse collection service.
Residents have been experiencing disruptions in the service since mid December due to unofficial industrial action taken by employees over pay issues and the introduction of longer routes.
A spokesman for South Dublin County Council said that householders would be "better off holding on to their rubbish" until such time as the dispute was resolved.
"If the refuse is left outside and is not collected it will create a dreadful mess with dogs going through it and resulting in rubbish spilling onto the streets," he said.
The council had decided against advising people to bring the rubbish to their local dump because, he said, there was a picket in operation on these sites.