Published On: Mon, Apr 28th, 2025

Liverpool city council plans to tackle trolley dumping with cheap ‘granny trolleys’


A Sydney council plans to crack down on dumped supermarket trolleys by offering cheap “granny trolleys” to locals.

Liverpool City Council is so sick of people dumping trolleys that it plans to start a trial to supply up to 500 personal two-wheeler shopping trolleys nicknamed “granny trolleys”.

They would be sold to eligible residents such as pensioners and those without a car at a subsidised rate.

Trolleys awaiting collection – or disposal – at the Liverpool City Council Depot in Sydney.
Trolleys awaiting collection – or disposal – at the Liverpool City Council Depot in Sydney. (Supplied)

Deputy Mayor Peter Harle said it was a retro solution to a newer problem.

“While the law places responsibility for trolleys fair and square at the supermarkets, Council is left with the problem and so Council has come up with a solution,” Harle said.

“Years ago, every home had its own shopping trolley and by going ‘back to the future’ we can probably find a common sense solution to a massive problem.”

Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun called on other councils to consider following suit.

“It’s a classic circular economy solution to a massive environmental problem,” he said.

The funding will come from the council’s Environmental Levy.

In the last two months, Liverpool City Council has impounded nearly 1200 trolleys, most of which have been collected by supermarket owners, who were charged $46.30 a trolley.

Council bosses warned they’re planning a “trolley blitz” in May and this time will be slapping shops with fines of up to $1320 per trolley.

Liverpool City Council once used a machine called “the croc” to tear apart old mattresses – but now they’re feeding it thousands of shopping carts that were left abandoned in the area.

The council says putting the trolleys through the machine means the metal can be recycled instead of ending up in landfill. 



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