CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY FIFTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-22-54 ENACTMENT NO. _____________________
SPONSORED BY: Louie Sanchez
RESOLUTION
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Directing The Solid Waste Department To Develop A Process For The Retrieval, Return, And Disposal Of Abandoned Shopping Carts, Making An Appropriation To Fund A Contract To Administer The Abandoned Shopping Cart Program (Sanchez)
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WHEREAS, shopping carts are commonly discarded, strewn, and abandoned in communities across the City; and
WHEREAS, abandoned shopping carts are litter and are unsightly, unsanitary, and a nuisance for residents, businesses and establishments, police and law enforcement, and visitors to the City; and
WHEREAS, abandoned shopping carts may jeopardize the safety of drivers who must navigate around these carts; and
WHEREAS, abandoned shopping carts may also jeopardize the safety of pedestrians, especially those with disabilities, who must attempt to navigate around them when the carts are abandoned within public rights-of-ways; and
WHEREAS, abandoned shopping carts may also block arroyos and other water conveyance channels throughout the City; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to maintain a safe, litter-free environment for all residents and visitors to enjoy; and
WHEREAS, creating a process to retrieve, return, and dispose of, and recycle abandoned shopping carts will help address this community concern; and
WHEREAS, this process could prevent thousands of shopping carts from entering the City’s landfill; and
WHEREAS, this Resolution does not apply to shopping carts that may be in use by an individual or otherwise being used for personal belongings and/or shelter; and
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
SECTION 1. The City’s Solid Waste Department shall develop and administer an abandoned shopping cart retrieval, return, and disposal program, including:
A. Engaging with and supervising a contractor who will retrieve and attempt to return abandoned shopping carts to retailers;
B. Providing for storage of collected shopping carts;
C. Establishing a disposal procedure in the event a shopping cart cannot be returned, to include processing for recycling and resale options;
D. Exploring the imposition of reasonable fees for retailers for cart return and disposal;
E. Coordinating with 311 to create a mechanism through which residents can report abandoned shopping carts, and the contractor can then be dispatched to the location; and
F. In conjunction with the contractor, track where abandoned shopping carts are found, which retailers they are coming from, and the number of carts collected on a monthly basis.
SECTION 2. The following appropriation is made from the available fund balance program from Fiscal Year 2023:
GENERAL FUND - 110
Solid Waste Management
Contract to administer abandoned shopping cart program $200,000