WATCH OUT FOR NEEDLE BEACH

A concerned mother wants parents to be aware of used hypodermic needles
littering North Shore parks and beaches.

Kelly Insley, of North Vancouver, said her enjoyment of an afternoon at
West Vancouver's Ambleside beach with her children was ruined by the
discovery of a discarded needle in the sand. Insley was enjoying the sun
with children Maddy, 6, and Cezanne, 4, when she found the needle on July 19.

"It was really busy," said Insley. "I was in disbelief that a needle had
been left on the beach. There were tons of kids running around. I assume it
had been left at nighttime by someone shooting up - a diabetic patient
would not have been so irresponsible.

"I guess I was feeling complacent about needles, never expecting them to
show up on a West Van beach. I do not know if we should be so shocked as
affluent areas have just as many drug problems as poorer places, but I'm
certainly horrified."

Insley, a nurse before taking time off to raise her family, instructed a
group of children on the beach about the disease dangers associated with
hypodermic needles. Then she raised the matter with lifeguards.

"The lifeguards told me it was not that unusual, and were not that
surprised," she said. "They told me they do sweeps for needles each morning.

"If someone finds a needle they should not chuck it in the garbage. The
lifeguards have a disposal box."

West Vancouver District's manager of parks Doug Leavers confirmed that
staff check beaches, parks and walkways each morning for "biohazards or
tripping hazards" as part of general safety inspections.

"We are part of the urban environment and needles are one of a number of
hazards to be aware of," he said. "Staff are trained in handling biological
hazards such as needles and each of our park trucks has a disposal container.

"Certain parks, like Ambleside, are high profile and attract users from a
wide area. This is not an issue common to all (parks), but certain areas
where a lot of people congregate."

He said needles are reported infrequently. District parks worker Stephen
Mullen estimates around 10 have been found at Ambleside Park so far this
summer. Most were in garbage cans, but he said some had been left lying on
the sand.

Meanwhile North Vancouver City parks superintendent Dave Turner said
needles tend to be found in places people loiter, citing Chiba Gardens and
Rey Sargeant parks. He estimates around 10 needles are removed throughout
the city each month, less during cold weather.

"It is common to all cities," he said. "It's more a summer thing than a
winter thing, it's when there are people hanging around. It is not like
East Vancouver where you can see people doing that sort of thing in the
street in front of everybody."

Meanwhile, North Vancouver District manager of parks and environmental
services Richard Boulton said staff have been trained in safe disposal of
needles. The main issue, he said, is for employees maintaining bushes,
although he said only one or two needles were found this way each year.

"The biggest issue is people putting them in the garbage," he said. "It's a
disposal issue."

Dr Brian O'Connor, medical health officer for the North Shore region of
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, said used needles are found throughout
the North Shore.

"They have been found in playgrounds, parks, schoolyards and beaches," he
said, "anywhere out of the way where people can inject intravenous drugs.
We do not advise people to pick them up. The best way to deal with them is
inform the municipality who can send a worker to remove them."

He said parents should not be overly concerned, as in many instances there
is a low chance of infection with hepatitis B, hepatitis C or the HIV virus
should the needle actually pierce someone's skin.

While advising caution, O'Connor said blood in discarded needles often
dries out, minimizing the risk of infection. The far greater danger of
infection transmission occurs when addicts share needles or when health
workers accidentally poke themselves with used needles during medical
procedures, he said.