Residents in some south-eastern suburbs of Perth say rubbish has been left strewn across the streets for several weeks because of delays in the verge collection pick-up.
Rubbish was meant to be picked up off the verges in Harrisdale and Piara Waters by a contractor employed by the City of Armadale on March 14, but almost three weeks later it is still just sitting there, residents say.
In the surrounding suburbs of Haynes, Hilbert, Brookdale, Armadale and Wungong the rubbish collection is already 10 days overdue.
According to Armadale mayor Henry Zelones the contractor told the city delays were caused by inclement weather, breakdown and staffing issues.
He said the contractor now had all its collection teams working with the city to catch up.
Teresa, who didn't want her last named mentioned, said there was rubbish everywhere in her street in Piara Waters.
"It's meant to be a new estate, so it just looks terrible," she said. "It's incredible how much you pay in rates, so it's pretty bad.
"People have been scabbing through the rubbish for days and throwing it onto the streets."
Casey, who also didn't want her name mentioned, said schools kids were having to dodge rubbish on the streets and verges on their way to the local primary school in Harrisdale.
"There were old tools and metal bits sticking out of the verges which kids were tripping over," she said.
"And someone had dumped a whole couch set on the back of the oval at the primary school."
"And some of the rubbish had blown onto the street after the recent bad weather, so the kids were picking some of the stuff up."
Mr Zelones said most of the rubbish should be collected by next week.
"Until now, our contract and strict protocols have worked well and there have only been a few occasions where equipment breakdown or staff shortages have led to delays.
"Our protocol has enabled us to limit the delay to just two areas, while other councils have suffered district-wide delays."
The delays in the collection pick-up meant residents in Piara Waters can still view a mountain of commercial catalogues that was plonked on the verge of a Archdale Loop home last week.
The pile measured about five metres wide, two metres back and a metre high.
