CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY FIFTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-23-129 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Louie Sanchez
RESOLUTION
title
Requiring The Solid Waste Management Department To Submit A Report On The Shopping Cart Collection Pilot (Sanchez)
body
REQUIRING THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT TO SUBMIT A REPORT ON THE SHOPPING CART COLLECTION PILOT.
WHEREAS, Albuquerque residents deserve a clean and beautiful City; and
WHEREAS, On June 22, 2022, R-22-54 was introduced which proposed creating an Abandoned Shopping Cart Program to retrieve, return, recycle, and dispose of shopping carts abandoned throughout 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, shopping carts are commonly discarded, strewn, and abandoned in communities across the City; and
WHEREAS, abandoned shopping carts may 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, many abandoned shopping carts are in working order or are made of recyclable material; and
WHEREAS, stolen shopping carts may cause a financial hardship for businesses throughout Albuquerque; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Solid Waste Management is conducting a Pilot Program to retrieve, return, recycle, and dispose of abandoned shopping carts; and
WHEREAS, reports from the Solid Waste Department informing the City Council of the progress and effectiveness of the pilot program will aid in the continuation of the program.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
SECTION 1. REQUIRING A PILOT PROJECT REPORT.
The Department of Solid Waste Management (SWM) shall submit a report to the City Council detailing the outcomes of the Program Year 2023 Shopping Cart Pilot Program no later than 30 days after the completion of the Pilot. The report shall include, at a minimum:
1) The number of shopping carts collected by SWM or its
contractor(s);
2) The number of collected shopping carts that were returned to their
owners;
3) The number of collected shopping carts that were recycled or
repurposed for parts or other uses;
4) The number of collected shopping carts that went into the landfills;
5) The average amount of time between an abandoned cart being
reported and the cart being retrieved;
6) The method of storage for collected shopping carts;
7) The ways in which abandoned shopping carts were reported to
SWM;
8) The cost of the Pilot Program, including any contractors SWM
engaged with to collect abandoned shopping carts;
9) Data regarding where abandoned shopping carts are found, which
retailers they are coming from, and the number of carts collected per week;
10) The next steps for the program, including whether SWM will seek a
contractor to continue the cart retrieval program;
11) Costs to implement the program on an ongoing basis/determination
of whether there is justification for the continuation of this program.
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