Abandoned trolleys plague southwest Sydney streets, parks, waterways
The “nuisance” of abandoned shopping trolleys are exacerbating the community, councils and supermarkets across southwest Sydney.
Fairfield
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Abandoned shopping trolleys are spoiling the streets, parks and waterways of southwest Sydney, presenting big challenges to supermarkets, council and the community.
Trolley collections remain the responsibility of supermarkets, but often clusters will slip through roundups, littering the streets of Fairfield City.
“I must have seen like 20 or more being pushed (this morning) on the street,” Charles Gream said, a Cabramatta resident of 49 years and administrator of Facebook group ‘Fairfield is where I live’.
“Ultimately, we pay for it. We pay for someone driving around the street to collect them.
“It’s the cost of them in our creeks and waterways. You can’t go in a waterway in Fairfield without seeing trolleys somewhere.”
Fairfield Council did not reveal the number of trolleys collected from streets, but noted the expense is deducted from its clean up services.
They estimate 50 shopping trolleys a year are recovered from waterways.
“It is the responsibility of the supermarkets to reclaim abandoned shopping trolleys,” a council spokesman said.
“A day of action whereby councils would collectively round up abandoned trolleys across their (local government area) … is scheduled for September 18.”
Abandoned trolleys are a problem to other councils, too.
During a one day blitz, the neighbouring Liverpool City Council picked up 450 dumped trolleys.
“I say to retailers, particularly the major chain supermarkets, that this is your problem, enough is enough,” Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller said in June.
“We started a campaign this year — Pushed Too Far — in which members of the community were invited to report dumped trolleys.”
Meanwhile, Canterbury-Bankstown Council is in the process of writing to the State Government calling for the introduction of legislation, draft standards and greater enforcement powers when dealing with abandoned trolleys.
The issue is nuanced with no obvious win-win solution.
Locking the trolleys into carparks could disadvantage people without a car, for instance.
“Some people have a long way to walk and the shopping is very heavy,” Betty Norse said, a 49-year resident of Canley Vale.
“(Trolleys) spoil the look of our lovely city. I think the truck should drive around more often to pick them up.”
The trolleys abandoned across Fairfield City wear the branding of major supermarket and retailer chains, namely Woolworths, Coles, Big W and Aldi.
In statements, both the Woolworths Group and Coles acknowledged abandoned trolleys are a “nuisance” to local communities.
“(We) work closely with dedicated contractors who respond quickly to reports of abandoned trolleys and return them to our stores within 24 hours,” a Woolworths Group spokeswoman said, accounting for Woolworths and Big W trolleys.
“They also conduct regular sweeps for abandoned trolleys in the streets surrounding our stores.”
Coles conducts fewer trolley sweeps, though its trolleys benefit from additional security.
“Our Fairfield supermarkets … use a radiofrequency perimeter system which locks the wheels and prevent trolleys from being removed from beyond our stores’ carparks,” the Coles spokesman said.
“They also have a weekly street collection roster to collect those trolleys that make it out into the surrounding streets and return them back to store.”
Aldi did not respond to a request for comment.
Almost all of the supermarkets and councils called for residents to report abandoned trolleys.
Woolworths and Big W trolleys can be reported to 1800 641 497, while Coles trolleys can be reported to 1800 876 553.
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