Newport is set to introduce a new policy on abandoned shopping trolleys that could see supermarkets charged £100 for their return. The city council has stated discarded trolleys create a "negative visual impact", contribute to antisocial behaviour, and can damage wildlife and waterways.
The current collection services were described as "far from sufficient" with contaminated or fly-tipped trolleys often left uncollected. Under the proposed scheme the council will collect abandoned trolleys from public land and charge the owners £100 for their return or disposal.
If a trolley isn't collected within six weeks the council may recycle or dispose of it.
The initiative aims to "increase residents' satisfaction with the place where they live", reduce the number of dumped trolleys, and encourage businesses to implement their own control measures to prevent their trolleys from being taken. Never miss a Newport story by subscribing to our newsletter here.
The council believes that charging £100 for the return of a trolley will be more appealing to supermarkets than spending between £120 and £200 on a new replacement.
Cllr Andrew Sterry, who has long advocated for action to tackle the "growing problem" of abandoned trolleys, welcomed the new policy but suggested that the city's waterways should also be included in the plan.
A single discarded trolley in a reen could lead to "serious flooding", warned one official, urging the council to take "a more active role" in removing trolleys from waterways.
The cabinet member for waste and recycling is expected to approve the new policy within days.
The council has stated any revenue generated from the policy will be allocated towards enforcement activities such as "preventative campaigns" against fly-tipping or littering.
Newport has long been blighted by illegal waste dumping with more than 7,000 incidents reported last year alone.
Senedd member Natasha Asghar recently labelled the city as "Wales' fly-tipping capital". Indeed there is a village in Newport where the problem is so bad people are unable to sell their homes.
Responding to these incidents places "extra pressure on finance and resources" at the council, she added.
According to the council a "significant proportion" of fly-tipping is "linked to commercial operations or rogue waste collectors", particularly in rural areas on the outskirts of the city.
A council spokesman expressed the local authority's frustration with the issue and said they were, like residents, "sick and tired of fly-tipping" and "would rather not have to spend your money on cleaning up other people's illegally-dumped mess".
Anyone wishing to report fly-tipping in Newport, or provide information about illegally-dumped waste, can do so via the city council's website or by calling 01633 656656.