NEEDLES DUMPED IN STREET

THESE are the photographs that shame the so-called "safe" injecting
room in Kings Cross dozens of syringes spilling from a bin in a public street.

At best, the photographs prove critics' claims that the
taxpayer-funded centre is a honeypot that attracts and keeps drug
addicts in the area.

At worst, they show that centre staff are exposing the public to
potentially deadly blood-tainted needles by showing no care in their disposal.

The bins overflowing with syringes have stood for three days on a
footpath at the rear of the Kings Cross Medically Supervised
Injecting Centre in Kellett St in the path of pedestrians and school children.

The dozens of syringes many of them uncapped with their needles
exposed were emptied from a yellow "sharps" container and tipped on
top of garbage in the bins. Some had fallen on the ground.

The owner of the nearby New York Restaurant, who asked not to be
named, complained to the council yesterday about the bins, which he
said often had used needles overflowing from their lids.

"It doesn't look good for my customers. It's disgusting and it's
dangerous," he said.

"People go through the garbage at night. Some are after food others
are after needles."

The restaurateur said he was fed up with doing the council's job for them.

"It's not my job to chase people to clean up their own garbage bins.
Council rangers should check on the state of the bins more often," he said.

Next door, Cleopatra Gentlemen's Club manager Shannon said she was
constantly kicking abusive junkies out of her doorway during the day.

"Kings Cross is more dangerous now during the day than at night
because of the addicts," Shannon said.

"The needles pile up in the bins every day and it's dangerous for
people to have to walk around. Schoolkids come through here every afternoon."

MSIC staff said they did not own the bins or the needles, but removed
them after being alerted by The Daily Telegraph.

They said the MSIC had a policy to clean up discarded drug injecting
equipment if it was found on the street.

A spokeswoman said: "The safe disposal of needles is a legal
requirement of our licence that we take very seriously, for the
safety of our own staff as well as the public.

"Needles are removed from inside the centre by a medical waste
disposal service and incinerated twice a week."

It is understood the two commercial waste bins belong to a
neighbouring restaurant.

After inspecting the bins, City of Sydney Council rangers requested
the owner to keep them on his property and not in the street.

A council spokesman confirmed the bins remained in the street after
rubbish contractor JJ Richards missed the collection on Monday.

The spokeswoman said anyone who found needles should notify the
centre by calling a 24-hour hotline on 1800 633 353.