Marion Council move to penalise supermarkets for dumped trolleys

Marion Council moves on penalising supermarkets for dumped trolleys. The retailers would be responsible for ensuring trolleys stay within the shopping centre.

• Marion Council declares war on shopping trolleys
• Onka councillor calls for action to prevent trolleys being dumped
• Councillor suggests giving free taxi vouchers to cut trolley dumping

Supermarkets would be penalised if their trolleys are found dumped within the Marion Council district, if it becomes the first South Australian council to introduce a by-law designed to restrict usage to shopping centres.

Elected members have endorsed drafting a by-law to deal with abandoned trolleys.

The by-law could create an offence of failing to keep a trolley within a shopping centre precinct and force supermarkets to install wheel locks – to prevent trolleys leaving the premises – or coin deposits on their trolleys.

It could also give the council the power to impound shopping trolleys and then require the retailer to pay a fee to release it.

Some interstate councils have created similar by-laws and the Australian Capital Territory has territory-wide legislation to try and prevent trolleys from being abandoned.

Marion Council collects up to 25 dumped trolleys each week with the area near Westfield Marion being a particular hot spot.

Abandoned trolleys can be considered litter under the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016.

However, policing it is difficult as only the person who left the trolley can be held responsible and they are often unknown.

A trolley left abandoned on a suburban street. Picture: Stephen Scott

Mayor Kris Hanna said that supermarkets had promised to take action following the council’s summit to end trolley dumping last year but had not.

“(The) council is determined to combat trolley dumping, which is a chronic problem for pedestrians and motorists,” Mr Hanna said after Tuesday’s council meeting.

“In addition to consulting with our community on solutions, we will look at what councils are doing interstate. The City of Monash charges retailers $97 to collect impounded trolleys.

“(The) council began working with retailers to tackle the issue last year but their inaction means we must now take a tougher stance.”

Mayor Kris Hanna. Picture:AAP/Emma Brasier.

Councillor Bruce Hull said “clearly something had to be done” to prevent the trolleys from being left lying around.

“This is not a new problem, and not a Marion-centred problem, it is dumbfounding that this is such a problem in metropolitan Adelaide and in rural areas but that no one has moved a motion (like this).”

Earlier this year, Onkaparinga councillor Marion Themeliotis asked staff to look into ways it can reduce trolley dumping after she received reports from residents of trolleys stuck in trees as well as filled with rubbish and set alight.

A Coles spokeswoman said it was “actively working” to reduce trolley dumping nationally.

“To assist in helping us manage trolley abandonment, members of the public can also use the Coles app on their smartphones to report trolleys using GPS, or call 1800 876 553 (1800 TROLLEY) and we’ll collect them as soon as possible,” she said.

A Woolworths spokesman said it “invested millions” in trolley collection services.

“We work closely with dedicated collection contractors who respond quickly to reports of abandoned trolleys to return them to our stores within 24 hours.

“They also conduct regular sweeps for abandoned trolleys in the streets surrounding our stores,” he said.

A draft by-law will come before the council at its meeting on August 27.