With the nicer weather finally here, Regina residents are outside more and enjoying the fresh air. While walking on the sidewalk, you may notice some less than desirable debris on the ground, such as trash and needles. If you want to be a superhero in your area, put on some gloves, grab some friends and garbage bags, and clean up trash left behind by litterbugs. However, if you find a needle, don’t touch it (unless you have the right tools)! Here are the things you need to know about needles:
- Don’t try to dispose of a used needle or any biomedical waste in a city garbage container. The City’s Waste Management Bylaw prohibits this.
- Call The Street Project (of the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region) at 306-766-7799 for help with picking up a needle, in any area of the city. The Street Project’s hours are 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. If you find a needle on evenings or weekends, please call Regina Fire & Protective Services at 306-777-7000.
- Although used needles pose a serious public safety and health hazard, there are ways to dispose of a needle safely. Use heavy gloves, a pair of tongs or pliers and a “sharps container” or other type of hard-sided container, with a lid, that can’t be penetrated by the needle (like a coffee tin or an empty pop bottle with a cap). Use the tongs to pick up the needle and place it in the container; then take the container to a needle disposal drop box or call 306-766-7799 to arrange for pickup.
Make sure you teach your children about the dangers of touching dirty needles (not to touch them and get an adult if they see one). A special thanks to groups such as the White Pony Lodge, North Central Community Patrol, AIDS Program South Saskatchewan, Regina Fire & Protective Services, the City of Regina, and the Street Project for picking up needles and other harmful items. Thank you, Regina, for being careful around needles and helping with the spring cleaning.