Dumped Coles and Woolworths trolleys are an ugly sight, submerged in Australian rivers, creeks, and lakes.
Now a leading expert in sustainability and finance, RMIT lecturer Dr Muhammad Safiullah, is urging the supermarkets to clean up their act.
Speaking to Yahoo News, he said the problem was different to consumers buying food at the supermarket and then littering the wrapper on the street.
“These are supermarket assets, they need to take responsibility for them,” he said.
Supermarkets admit dumped trolleys are a ‘nuisance’
Yahoo News has documented dumped trolleys around the country, including at Tarneit, Victoria and Hoxton Park, NSW.
Woolworths admitted dumped trolleys are “a nuisance” and admitted that it has invested millions of dollars in collection services to help “mitigate their impact” on Australian communities.
“We work closely with dedicated collection contractors who respond quickly to reports of abandoned trolleys to return them to our stores,” it said.
Coles trolleys dumped in the Werribee River at Tarneit. Source: Muhammad Safiullah
Coles agreed abandoned trolleys are an “eye-sore”, particularly when they’re thrown into waterways or left on roadsides.
“We are continually reviewing additional measures, including trolley containment systems, where appropriate,” it said.
Coles and Woolworths yet to respond to environmental concerns
What impact decaying trolleys have on the environment is unknown, as neither Coles nor Woolworths responded directly to a question about the issue from Yahoo News.
Dr Safiullah believes supermarkets should have a detailed understanding of how dumped trolleys impact the environment, particularly components like plastics and metals, which can corrode in water.
“They should know the effect of their asset on the environment or biodiversity and make it publicly available,” he said.
Could GPS tracking systems work?
With the major supermarkets generating billions of dollars in revenue every year, Dr Safiullah argues they have a responsibility to invest in technology to track their trolleys so they can be quickly collected.
Coles has trialled the mechanism, but the GPS trackers it used were obstructed when the trolleys were taken into car parks, buildings and high-density areas, or pushed under bridges, or submerged in water.
There were also concerns the batteries and electrical components may have worsened their impact on the environment by leaching chemicals into the environment.
But technology is improving.
Location-tracking systems are becoming increasingly sensitive, and some newly developed smart components in household bins are now fully contained in plastic, preventing them from being stolen or exposed to the elements.
How do I report an abandoned trolley?
To report a dumped Woolworths trolley, you can call Trolley Tracker on 1800 641 497.
Abandoned Coles trolleys can be logged on the Coles or Snap Send Solve apps, or by calling 1800 876 553.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
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