Needle disposal boxes working out well in Summerside
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SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — It’s been months since Summerside had its first public needle disposal containers put in and deputy CAO JP Desrosiers stated the town is happy with how they’re figuring out.
The containers have been put in after the province approached the town earlier this 12 months to see if it might have an interest. Though Desrosiers stated Summerside had not acquired many complaints of stray needles being present in public locations, the town was nonetheless desperate to have the containers for many who wanted them.
“It wasn’t pushed by stories of needles discovered or a necessity from most people,” stated Desrosiers. “Moreso, simply, in the event that they’re being provided to us, why wouldn’t we set up them? They supply a secure place for individuals to eliminate the needles.”
At present, there are 4 containers in Summerside. After discussions with the Summerside police, it was determined that the containers would go within the jap and western parts of the boardwalk, Heather Moyse Park and Rotary Park.
“I believe in most conditions, they might go the place, probably, used needles are discovered. Plenty of the time, these are present in parks and inexperienced areas, sadly,” stated Desrosiers. “To not say that we haven’t had the odd remoted incident, however we haven’t seen that turn out to be a lot of a problem in any concentrated areas.”
A safer group
Lauren Sheidow, peer crew co-ordinator with PEERS Alliance, stated that bringing disposal containers to rural P.E.I. and Charlottetown has been within the works for round a 12 months. The containers, she stated, are an initiative in response to communities seeing extra discarded sharps.
Disposal containers are necessary to make sure that sharps are discarded in a secure method and are later incinerated. That’s why, she stated, it’s useful to have them situated in locations the place needles have traditionally been discovered.
“Nobody actually utilizing sharps, or sterile syringes, IV consumption, nobody intends to trigger hurt to anybody locally simply by discarding these sharps in an improper means,” stated Sheidow. “However nobody actually has anyplace to do away with them, particularly with plenty of the stigma surrounding IV utilization and stigma surrounding the needle trade program.”
Sheidow stated hurt discount goes past accessible needle disposal containers. As a substitute, it extends to acknowledging that anybody locally – together with family and friends – might be utilizing medicine.
As properly, it’s useful to have secure and clear consumption gear out there for anybody who makes use of medicine.
Sheidow additionally added that if anybody finds a pointy within the floor and feels unsafe discarding it themselves they’ll contact PEERS Alliance.
Anecdotally talking, Desrosiers stated the containers in Summerside usually are not at the moment getting plenty of use. Nonetheless, he’s glad the choice is there for individuals who may in any other case discard their needles on the bottom and even in a public trash bin.
After seeing how the containers have gotten alongside up to now, Desrosiers stated the town could be open to including extra if the chance have been to come up.
“I don’t see why we wouldn’t. It’s an unlucky actuality that there’s a necessity for people who find themselves in that state of affairs, who must eliminate needles,” stated Desrosiers. “Why not present them with a secure place to take action? It clearly gives a safer setting for our parks and inexperienced house customers and people out and about in our metropolis.”
Kristin Gardiner is a reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. She will be reached by e-mail at [email protected] and adopted on X @KristinGardiner.
