In August 2018, the council brought into effect Schedule 4 to Section 99 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, to enable supermarkets to be charged for the return of abandoned shopping trolleys. The charge levied is done so in order to cover the costs that the council incur in collecting trolleys within Gainsborough.
The council will endeavour to collect any trolleys that are on public land within the area as part of our usual waste collection routine. You can report abandoned trolleys directly with the supermarket responsible for them or via a local Trolleywise Scheme.
The following scheme was agreed at the council’s Prosperous Communities Committee on the 1 May 2018 and came into effect on the 17 August 2018.
West Lindsey District Council (Schedule 4, Section 99 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990) Scheme Scope:
Trolleys found abandoned in Gainsborough will be seized by West Lindsey District Council (‘the Council’) and removed to the Council’s depot in Gainsborough for storage.
Once a trolley has been seized, the Council will notify the owner, if identifiable, within 14 days.
If the owner claims the trolley, the Council will deliver the trolley back to the store once the payment for release has been made.
If the trolley is not claimed or payment not received, the Council will store the trolley for 6 weeks after which the trolley will be disposed of. The owner will be charged for the costs of recovery, storage and disposal.
If no owner can be identified the Council will store the trolley for 6 weeks, then dispose of it.
The scheme will apply to all supermarkets who supply shopping trolleys in Gainsborough.
Charges
Our charges are set out below (stated fee is per trolley):
- Trolley recovered, claimed and paid for, and returned to store: £75
- Trolley recovered, claimed but payment not received, trolley disposed of after 6 weeks: £100
- Trolley recovered, unclaimed by owner, trolley disposed of after 6 weeks: £100
- Trolley recovered, owner cannot be identified and no claim made, trolley disposed of after 6 weeks: £0
Debtor invoice will be raised in all cases, and where payment is not received, the Council will recover via civil debt recovery.