General News

Town cleaning up parks

July 29, 2016

By Sarah Sobanski

The Town of Bancroft is working on a new clean up initiative to keep needles out of our public spaces and parks.

By partnering up with the Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH), Bancroft will put sharp disposal containers in public spaces including Millennium Park and Riverside Park.

Councillor Charles Mullett said the township has been finding needles in public spaces during early morning clean ups. He suggested that just by having somewhere people can dispose of their needles might greatly reduce the number of syringes found in parks.

“Instead of people just throwing them on the ground, they’ll have somewhere to put their needles,” said Mullett. “The committee thought that it was a good idea to keep the area safer.”

The containers support HPEPH’s Needle Exchange Program (NEP). NEP provides clean, single-use needles to recreational drug users in order to stop the spread of blood-borne infections such as HIV.

“All NEP sites located throughout Hastings and Prince Edward Counties provide clean equipment and accept used needles that are returned for safe disposal, says Stephanie McFaul, NEP program manager at HPEPH. “The new safe sharps disposal containers in Bancroft will further help reduce the potential harm of improper disposal of needles.”

Bancroft’s public works department reminds residents that they can report needles found in public spaces to the Town by calling 613-332-3331. Always avoid touching a needle that hasn’t been disposed of properly. Never dispose of a needle in a regular trash bin.

         

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