When the Phoenix City Council approved an ordinance establishing a comprehensive shopping cart retrieval program last spring, the city's Neighborhood Services Department recorded retrieving approximately 900 abandoned shopping carts per month.

That figure has dropped to about 650 per month, thanks in large part to an increase of retailers taking a more aggressive role in preventing shopping carts from being wheeled off their premises.

To date, more than 6,000 abandoned carts have been recovered since June 2007.

"We appreciate the retailers that have adopted the good neighbor role and implemented measures to prevent their carts from being taken off their properties," said Jerome Miller, NSD director. "But we still need the cooperation from many others."

Under the ordinance, shopping carts found off store premises are removed and retail owners are charged $20 per cart retrieved.

Miller said the city is sending letters to retailers this month reminding them of the citywide ordinance and asking them to urge their cart users not to take the carts without written permission and consider using a cart retrieval service to return their abandoned carts.

The letter also asks retailers to consider installing mechanisms to prevent carts from leaving store property.

For more information about the program or to report abandoned shopping carts, call 602-CRT-PKUP (602-278-7587).