Nerima Ward sanitation worker Masahiro Suzuki has been working the job for two decades, but it has never been so exhausting.

"I am concerned about the risk of (coronavirus) infection,” the 45-year-old said. “But the most terrible thing is that my lower back aches when handling the growing amount of trash."

According to Suzuki, the same amount of waste that piles up during the year-end holidays is now being generated constantly, as people refrain from venturing out due to the coronavirus. That is forcing many of his colleagues to take off work due to acute back pain.

Burnable trash collected in the ward in April increased by more than 10 percent from the previous year, with disposable plastic goods, clothing and food waste all up dramatically.

While the workload is heavier and the risk of infection is always there, one thing has kept fire in Suzuki’s belly: small surprises from grateful residents.

He said one parent even brings their child out every day at 8 a.m. to see off the collection trucks leaving the sanitation office. He smiled and said they "inspire me to work hard."

That kind of community support helps him and his colleagues get through difficult days.

One day in late May, they were collecting bags of burnable waste that burst when crushed in their truck, making a dull popping sound and spattering out liquids and dust. It was enough to make anyone standing near the truck anxious, given that many loads likely contained used face masks.

The workers wore rubber gloves, but went to great lengths to avoid directly touching the potentially contaminated bags by using two wooden boards to pick them up and toss them into the truck.

On difficult shifts like these, they also now collect appreciative notes and thank-you letters.

Suzuki and his colleagues said they feel encouraged by the more than 200 letters they have received, often left by residents on the garbage bags for the workers to discover.

"Thank you for your daily work as the amount of trash and the risk of infection rise," one said.

Another told sanitation workers to "pay careful attention to your health." One writer said they feel honestly "overwhelmed with gratitude" for their unrelenting efforts facing the increasingly difficult work.

The work is not just more difficult there. Trash volume is up all over Tokyo. Households in the capital's 23 wards generated 336,983 tons of burnable waste between Feb. 24 and May 3, according to data from the Clean Authority of Tokyo. That figure is up 4.9 percent year on year.

But the words of encouragement are also being spread around the city.

Garbage collectors in Tokyo's Koto Ward began discovering similar messages at collection sites in mid-April, numbering more than 100.

One said they felt gratitude for trash collectors doing their “important and dangerous work every day. Another described their determination to "put out trash in a safer manner."

Some of the written materials come with handmade masks and candy.

The central sanitation office in Chuo Ward in the capital displays about 60 notes from households in the break room for trash collectors.

"Thank you for working even on rainy days and windy days," one said.

Minoru Takashima, 51, technical chief at the office, said seeing those messages makes him realize "there are some people carefully watching our work."

Takashima said sanitation workers are currently troubled by people putting burnable goods, glass bottles and aluminum cans together in the same bags, increasing the job’s risks and hazards.

Those unseparated materials must be sorted by hand, increasing the risk of contracting the coronavirus through contaminated items.

The Environment Ministry is distributing leaflets that explain how to properly dispose of household garbage to address the issue. It is calling on people to tightly close their bags, so the garbage does not spill out. It is also requesting citizens remove air from the bags before sealing them to prevent them from bursting upon collection, and to remove water from food waste.

Some people, though, seem to have already gotten the message.

"I double-bag my trash and wish for your safety," one of the break room’s letters said.

(This article was written by Mutsumi Mitobe and Senior Staff Writer Toru Ishii.)