Finding one dirty needle is one too many

But rates are low on our streets

Discarded dir t y needles were found in the streets of Rutherglen and Cambuslang once a month last year.

The stats were revealed as South Lanarkshire Council revealed that their street cleaning teams have removed 62 discarded syringes from across the whole region during 2017.

Twelve were found in Rutherglen in 2017, with a further five discovered so far this year.

That means the area has the lowest rate in the whole of South Lanarkshire.

However, local politicians told the Reformer that even one syringe found on the streets is one too many.

Rutherglen MP Ged Killen called for safe- injection facilities to be introduced to help stop the needles being found on the streets.

He said: “While it is reassuring to see a reduction in the number of needles being found on our streets, it remains the unfortunate truth that the extent of substance misuse in Scotland is becoming a national health emergency. While Rutherglen and Cambuslang may have the lowest number of needles found in our local authority, we are still seeing preventable drug overdoses killing almost one person in South Lanarkshire every week.

“The Scottish Labour Party will continue to call on the Scottish Government to take the radical action needed to tackle the difficult issue of drug misuse in our communities and for the UK Government to review its outdated legislation and support the introduction of safe-injection facilities.”

Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey warned of the dangers of the needles being picked up.

She said: “Although the average monthly figure has decreased this year, one discarded syringe on our streets is one too many.

“Quite easily, they could be picked up by a child, council worker, or community clean- up volunteer.

“At Parliament, I have advocated the introduction of safe injection rooms where those who take intravenous drugs can do so in a safe and supervised environment. Not only do they benefit the person taking drugs, as no one has ever died in such a facility, evidence also shows that they reduce street injection and decrease the number of syringes disposed of in public.”

South Lanarkshire Council asked any locals who discover the syringes to contact them and they will dispose of them.

The council have a reaction time of 24 hours from when a discarded needle is reported.

The council’s Head of Facilities, Waste and Grounds Services, Alistair McKinnon, said: “Incidents of discarded syringes or needles being found in public places are, thankfully, quite rare in the Rutherglen and Cambuslang area.

“However, we would ask that anyone finding such items contact our Customer Services Centre by calling 0303 123 1020 during office hours or 0800 24 20 24 out of hours.

“We will log the details and pass them to our street cleansing staff, who are specially trained and equipped to dispose of these items in the correct, safe manner.”