Needle pick-up DIY

Marie-Pierre Lefebvre

Every now and then, I spot a syringe (or two!) or other drug paraphernalia on the ground. It’s not worse than six to seven years ago, but it’s not better. During the pandemic, when users were forced to use on the streets and in parks, the problem exploded. I was upset that my children, at their tender age, could identify a needle and a crack pipe—this was not something I could do at their age! In 2020, it seemed easier to get a hold of the City of Ottawa to send someone over to pick them up, but now, my options are limited—and time consuming.

The City website says to call 311 to speak to an agent, apparently so the pick-up is done more quickly than through an online report (which is not even an option). But the wait time when calling 311 can be really long, and there isn’t a “if you’re calling about needle pick-up” option. I would have needed to wait 60 minutes on the phone last time I called, so I turned to the neighbourhood Facebook group for ideas.

These included:

Calling the Needle Hunters (613-725-3494 or info@needlehunters.ca). The downside with them is that they show up when they can, you have to present, and they don’t usually provide you a timeslot.

Picking it up myself. The Ottawa Public Health website states that property owners are responsible for having the item(s) removed. If they are not comfortable removing the item(s), they should call a private waste removal company to have the hazardous material removed. (www.ottawapublichealth.ca)

The second option was the best solution for me, but it requires safety equipment. I already have a garbage grabber for keeping my street clean, so I was able to use that. I learned that Ottawa Public Health has a “Sharps Kit Program” containing protective gloves, tongs, a sharps container and instructions, that you can pick up across the City—just google it! Once it’s picked up though, it’s still on me to find a needle drop box and dispose of them there. There are several drop boxes in Sandy Hill and Lowertown, so I won’t have to walk too far (according to Ottawa Public Health’s Needle Retrieval Services online map, locations in Sandy Hill include 292 Rideau and 530 King Edward), but I will still need to go there myself.

This makes me ask myself some pretty philosophical questions such as, “Is drug use equipment equivalent to litter?” and “Am I responsible for keeping my streets clean?” and “What are other cities doing?” (ok busted, the last one isn’t philosophical!).

For now, I will continue to pick up needles when I see them, and when my container is full, I will find a drop box. Like we say in French, “On n’est jamais si bien servi que par soi-même”.

IMAGE submitted this text to Councillor Stéphanie Plante’s office prior to print and received comments from staff (see Carina Pogoler’s commentary).

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Reporting discarded needles found on public property: City Councillor’s office’s explanation

Carina Pogoler

A discarded needle is not treated the same as litter. The City would not send someone if there was an empty pop can on the sidewalk; they will send someone for a discarded needle. Drug paraphernalia that is not a needle or glass stem is treated as standard debris. In these cases, a service request is created; however, it is not immediately dispatched to the responding department. The responding department is responsible for determining the service standard for collecting debris.

Reports of discarded needles and glass stems on public property do receive an immediate response from the City. Currently, reports must be called in as this is to ensure that 311 agents not only create the service request, but verbally notify concerned staff immediately so that the items can be removed. (Unfortunately, there’s no option to “Press X for discarded needle.”) This immediate dispatching occurs 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The City is working on having an online reporting feature for needles by this year.

City staff will attend to collect discarded needles and glass stems that are located on all City property, such as roads, sidewalks, parks and City facilities. City staff will also attend for needles and stems that are in publicly accessible locations on private property, such as a front yard that can be accessed from the sidewalk. Part of what makes this a bit complicated is that if the needle is found in a park, the call goes to Parks, and if it’s found on a road, it goes to Roads, etc. So it really depends on where the needle is found.

For drug paraphernalia that is located in an inaccessible location on private property (such as a fenced in backyard), the property owner is responsible for properly disposing of the materials.