Due to a flood of paper, cardboard and carton waste, collection vehicles in the district have been unable to pick up all items, and residents are advised to limit extra waste to the size of a paper bin or use recycling centers. (Kaiserslautern District)

The Kaiserslautern District warned residents about ongoing delays in recycling collections after a surge in excess paper, cardboard and cartons overwhelmed pickup crews in recent weeks.

In a Facebook post Thursday in German, officials attributed the problem at least in part to American residents, saying that a higher turnover of U.S. military personnel at the end of the quarter can lead to larger quantities of packaging and moving materials.

“In some cases, the amount at individual locations was so large that the collection vehicles were unable to accommodate the waste volume provided,” the statement said. “As a result, it was no longer possible to collect all additional items during various collection rounds as usual.”

The district urged residents to limit their additional waste to the equivalent of one recycling bin and break down larger items to fit within standard size limits.

People with larger quantities of recycling are asked to either spread it over multiple collections or bring it to one of the district’s recycling centers.

Residents who have had excess waste left behind should put it out again for the next scheduled collection.