A WAGGA resident says retailers need more incentives for customers to keep shopping trolleys off the streets and waterways.
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Every year, Wagga City Council rangers round-up the shopping trolleys littering the streets. During the previous financial period, 110 were impounded and before that 244 trolleys were discarded in public spaces.
Although retailers are responsible for stopping shoppers from dumping trolleys, rangers have the authority to hand out on-the-spot fines for people caught in the act, as well as, an $80 impounding fee for every trolley, which the business pays.
Long-standing chairman of the former Tidy Towns Committee John Rumens said retailers need to do more by offering incentives that persuade customers to return trolleys after use.
While selected supermarkets already have a coin-locking system, Mr Rumens said this approach should be rolled out through all retailers with shopping trolleys.
"It is always a bit disturbing to see abandoned trolleys by the roadside, on the foot curbs and even worse when we have to fish them out of the river on Clean Up Australia Day," he said.
With the state's Impounding Act under review, Local Government NSW is pushing for tougher laws that give more power to councils, which could hand out fines to retailers.
Mr Rumens said council needs more authority to help them keep the city clean however, it is not a task that should be left to one group to solve.
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He said residents also need to take ownership by not engaging in the "unfortunate practice" or reporting those people who do so.
"It would be good if the council have the authority to do more. It effects our appearance on the one hand and general safety on the other," he said.
"Citizens have the responsibility to behave responsibly and when someone hasn't .. report it to whoever can fix the situation."
The public can report abandoned trolleys through Trolley Tracker on 1800 614 497 or lodge a customer request with Wagga City Council.