Southeast Public Health is reminding residents how to safely respond if they find a discarded needle, syringe or other drug-use equipment in the community.
Harm Reduction Team Public Health Nurse, Debra Vine, says residents should not touch the discarded items.
Public Health says residents should not touch, kick or move discarded items and should keep children and pets away.
The health unit says drug paraphernalia can include glass pipes, cookers and tourniquets, which may contain blood or other potentially hazardous substances.
Residents can report items in public spaces to Southeast Public Health 1-800-660-5853 or by using the online reporting form.
For items found on private property, the property owner or landlord is responsible for cleanup. Southeast Public Health can provide guidance on safe handling and disposal but does not provide pickup on private property.
Vine says their goal is to spread awareness, while avoiding stigma against people who use substances.
People who are comfortable and properly equipped can collect discarded needles using gloves, tongs or a litter picker and a puncture-resistant sharps container.
Needles should never be recapped, bent or broken, or placed in garbage or recycling. They should also never be flushed down a toilet or left in parks or bushes.
Southeast Public Health says the risk of HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C from a discarded community needle is extremely low. However, anyone who is stuck should let the wound bleed gently, wash it with soap and water without squeezing it, and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
The health unit says safe disposal is a community safety issue and should not be used to stigmatize people who use substances.
For more information on safe needle disposal, residents can visit Southeast Public Health’s website.
Story by Alyssa Brush
