Shopping Cart Problems in Yakima

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Story Published: Jul 6, 2009 at 11:29 PM PDT

By Stacy Lilienthal

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It's easy to see them in alleys, streets, and even lawns instead of the store where they belong. Misplaced shopping carts are becoming a big issue in Yakima, and soon may lead to a new ordinance.

Instead of seeing them at stores, we're seeing them in alleys or even on people's lawns. Reynalda Nada says shopping carts are a driving hazard in her neighborhood. "You say it's really a hassle to back up sometimes?" Action News asks. "Yes it is," Nada replied with no hesitation, "Because you have to get out of your car and move it out of the way or else you'll hit it with your car." She lives several blocks away from stores with carts.

The Public Works Department said they had more than 500 misplaced carts last year. They said shopping carts are becoming illegal dump sites. "People will start walking by and will just dump some garbage in one thinking no one will know," Refuse and Recycling Manager, Nancy Fortier said. She has already begun sending letters to the businesses that use the carts about an ordinance in-the-works.

To get them back to where they belong quicker she'll give businesses 96 hours, not including weekends, to pick them up or the city will charge them $25 a cart to return them. The city also wants business signs on all carts, and a way to tag ones they've told businesses about. "We're not really trying to create an ordinance to penalize anyone, what we're trying to do is just find a way to streamline things," Fortier said.

In the meantime, businesses are finding their own ways to keep their carts on their property. Some businesses, like Safeway on 5th Avenue, have recently installed wires underneath their cement. If someone tries to take a cart from their property, the wheel locks up. Others we talked to, say they've started putting phone numbers people should call on the carts in case they find them out of their parking lot or store.

"I know sometimes you don't have a car and you have to get your groceries home. It's easier to just push the cart. But to just leave it anywhere, it's not good for the rest of us and the city," reasons Nada.

It's a problem the Yakima City Council may soon try to handle with a new ordinance. If you see a shopping cart where it doesn't belong, call the store first and then the public works department.

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