WITH SPRING COMES NEEDLES

With the spring melt well underway, a winter's worth of litter has
been revealed.

On May 5, the Prince Albert Downtown Improvement District Association
will launch its month-long Pitch-In campaign.

"Typically we start around 7 a.m. with generally over 100 volunteers,"
said Jayne Remenda, executive director of the association.

Volunteers include local business owners, but also concerned citizens
from all over the city.

The Pitch-In campaign is concerned with all types of litter, but one
type of particular concern are used syringes, that have accumulated
over the winter.

"By that time most of the needles are picked up," said Dave Davies,
fire prevention officer with the Prince Albert fire department.

In an average spring season, the fire department picks up somewhere
between 3,500 and 4,500 needles.

"Some days we find five or 10," said Davies. "Other days we'll find
where they've been stashing them and pick up hundreds."

The fire department regularly receives calls to collect syringes.
Currently, firefighters are sent out twice daily, at 10 a.m. and 3
p.m., to collect needles.

This is a cost-saving mechanism, used instead of responding to every
call.

It is fire department policy not to collect needles on private
property.

The fire department advises individuals to dispose of needles, but to
do it safely. Be sure to keep children away from the needle, keep the
needle point away from your body, put the needle in a plastic pop
bottle and drop the bottle in a needle bin. Be sure to wash your hands
afterward.

Needle bins are located at the fire hall at 76 15th St. E., behind the
liquor store 99 Ninth St. E., at the rear of the National Hotel at 906
First Ave. W. and behind Sylken Confectionary at 1600 15th St. E.

In Prince Albert, there is a needle exchange program available for
those who require it.

Clean syringes can be picked up at the Sexual Health Clinic in the
McIntosh Mall.

Representatives from the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region were in
meetings and unavailable for comment on the program. But in 2006,
52,000 of 60,000 needles distributed through this program were returned.