CITY AIMS TO TAKE CARE OF NEEDLES

A discussion over needle drop boxes in Nanaimo's south end is coming
to a point.

James Younger, a resident responding to a Safer Nanaimo Working Group
report, says residents in the Nob Hill area are becoming desperate
trying to keep the neighbourhood free of used hypodermic needles used
for illegal drug use.

He said parents scour the streets and park in Nob Hill every Friday,
Saturday and Sunday to keep children safe.

But the parents have no place to put the contaminated needles except
in the garbage.

"The people in the park call it Needle Thursday," said Younger,
referring to health services that hand out needles to drug users that
day. "So we'd better watch our step on Friday."

The working group was established in November 2007 and has since
worked with downtown businesses and residents to create a needle drop
box program. From those consultations, a one-year pilot project using
three drop boxes will begin as soon as suitable locations are found,
possibly in four to six weeks.

City Coun. Diane Brennan agreed the topic needs to be fast tracked so
parents can dispose of the needles safely, but said more consultation
needs to be done.

"We need to know where the best places to put the drop boxes would
be," she said. "But we're not just going to stand around while
residents are out there working."

In Nanaimo a needle exchange service is already provided by the
Vancouver Island Health Authority for intravenous drug users, but the
service is inadequate for collecting all used needles.

Needle drop boxes can already be found in other areas like airports
and on ferries, and other municipalities like Ottawa have had success
with similar programs.

Mayor Gary Korpan said legal implications have delayed the drop
boxes, but council is taking the matter seriously.

"There is no doubt this should have been done long ago," he said.

The boxes are designed around a one-gallon biohazard pail and when
full will be emptied by the Fire Rescue Department. From there the
needles will be stored safely in a locker before being disposed of by
a dangerous goods-licensed contractor.