Pubdate: Thu, 22 Jan 2015
Source: Record, The (Kitchener, CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 Metroland Media Group Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.therecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/225
Author: Gordon Paul
Page: B1

SHARPS CONTAINERS COMING

City Says the Installations Are Not Tied to Anti-Needle Push

KITCHENER - The City of Kitchener says its decision to install sharps 
containers in 25 city facilities has nothing to do with a city 
woman's recent campaign to rid downtown of what she calls a glut of 
discarded drug needles.

Starting next month, the containers will be installed in parks, 
community centres, pools and a city-owned parking garage, Cynthia 
Fletcher, the city's director of facilities management, said Wednesday.

Lorraine Grenier, who lives next to Victoria Park, has long 
campaigned against illegal drug use in downtown Kitchener.

She claims to have found 9,000 discarded needles - many in Victoria 
Park - since last May. She has pictures of pails filled with needles. 
She said her dog got jabbed by one.

For months, Grenier emailed the city about her concerns. Last summer, 
she spoke to regional politicians.

"I kept pressure on the City of Kitchener and now I have won!" 
Grenier said in an email this week.

The Victoria Park washrooms will be getting sharps containers, but 
the move is not connected to Grenier's campaign, Fletcher said.

That's not to say used needles from illegal drug users will be banned.

"What I'm saying to you is, regardless of the sharp, we'd like it 
disposed of properly," Fletcher said.

"It can include anything that is of a sharp nature that we'd rather 
not see in the garbage container.

"Quite honestly, we anticipated putting these containers in much like 
we would hand dryers in washrooms. We're not seeing this as a 
provocative thing to do."

The city maintains discarded drug needles are few and far between.

"Periodically, we find (sharps) in different areas of the city, but I 
wouldn't say there's been a huge incident," Fletcher said.

Grenier blames the alleged needle problem on Waterloo Region public 
health's needle program. In 2013, it gave out 307,000 syringes with 
just 103,000 returned. Grenier would prefer an exchange program where 
drug users get a fresh needle only after turning in a used one.

Fletcher foresees the secured containers being used by diabetics and 
anyone finding a razor blade or piece of glass.

Grenier sent The Record a picture of needles she said she saw in the 
Victoria Park washrooms. She included a caption: "Does this look like 
a bunch of diabetics?"

Grenier said the city invited her to a "facilitation meeting" for the 
new container program.

"Why would they want me to attend this if it has nothing to do with 
my campaign?" she said.

The containers will be installed inside facilities.

"One of the reasons is, for instance, if I'm a diabetic and I'm 
taking my insulin, I'd like to be able to dispose of it as soon as I 
can, not have to go outside and dispose of it," Fletcher said.

Grenier believes putting containers inside will encourage illegal drug use.

City staff will monitor the containers. Once filled, they will be 
disposed of by a contracted firm, Fletcher said. Then a new one will 
be installed.

Sharps containers are becoming commonplace. They are in some Waterloo 
Region facilities and movie theatres.

"Quite honestly, we view it as the right thing to do - give the 
public proper containers to dispose of any sharps that they might 
have or might find," Fletcher said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom