Pubdate: Mon, 29 Jan 2007
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2007 The StarPhoenix
Contact: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Author: Jeremy Warren
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)

NEEDLE PICKUP COSTS CONCERN CITY COUNCILLOR

The City of Saskatoon shouldn't pay to pick up discarded needles that 
originate from the Saskatoon Health Region's needle exchange program, 
according to Coun. Myles Heidt.

The needle exchange program is necessary and does excellent work, 
Heidt said, but he wonders if the health region should be doing more 
to help with cleanup.

"I don't think it's fair. Not handing needles out is not an option, 
so what do we do? The communities shouldn't be footing the bill (for 
needle pickups)," Heidt said.

About 86 per cent of the roughly 500,000 needles annually distributed 
by the health region are recovered, leaving 70,000 unaccounted for. 
Some of the deserted needles are retrieved by Saskatoon Fire and 
Protective Services.

"I don't have a problem with needles being distributed, but there's 
too much risk to keep giving them out with no regard for the 
consequences," Heidt said.

The city can't bill the health region because it might adversely 
affect the needle exchange program, but it could be a future option 
if the problem gets worse, Heidt said.

As part of Heidt's request for the city's needle recovery policies, 
he was curious to know who was liable for dirty needles found on 
Saskatoon's streets.

Administrators responded the city is not liable for dirty needles 
found on the streets, in parks or other public spaces.

The administration and finance committee recommended devising a way 
to identify needles distributed by the health region, with the cost 
of recovery being based on identification of the needles. But the 
high cost of marking needles, along with the added danger to the 
manufacturer's employees who would handle the needles, ultimately 
made identification unfeasible, said an administration report.

Assistant fire chief Bob Fawcett said the only cost to the city is 
the fuel used by fire trucks picking up the needles.

While it may seem excessive to send a large fire truck to pick up one 
tiny needle, Fawcett said the dangers of dirty needles outweigh 
concerns of wasteful spending.

"We don't find needle pick-up tedious. This is in the interest of 
community safety of children. We would rather go out and pick them up 
rather then children poking themselves," he said.

Saskatoon Fire and Protective Services retrieved 4,586 needles in 
2002, 11,925 in 2003 and 5,056 in 2004, according to the fire 
department. Complete year figures were not available for 2005 and 2006.

Broken down by neighbourhood, Pleasant Hill, with 2,000 needle 
pickups, was by far the busiest area for the fire department in 2004, 
followed by 631 in Riversdale and 362 retrievals in Fairhaven. Only 
27 of the 80 neighbourhoods in Saskatoon had needle pickups numbering 
in the double digits.

"We're picking up more and more needles every year. Certainly there's 
been no decreases in the numbers," Fawcett said.

The fire department picks up and stores needles in containers until 
the Saskatoon Health Region collects and disposes of them. Each fire 
truck is equipped with needle disposal containers.

In the spring as the snow melts, the fire department makes extra 
sweeps of the parks looking for needles hidden during the winter.

Heidt said the fire department is doing an excellent job recovering 
needles and agreed the program is a great benefit to Saskatoon.

"I'm told needle pickups aren't jeopardizing the regular duties of 
the fire department. We have to keep the fire halls staffed and 
they're there anyway," he said.

But he is opposed to hiring someone solely dedicated to needle recovery.

The Saskatoon Health Region did not immediately return calls for this story.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman