10:10am Sunday 14th March 2010
By James Beal
HEALTH bosses have defended the introduction of 'syringe bins' in Bridgwater, after a rise in discarded drug needles around the town.
Sedgemoor District Council stepped in to install the sealed bins in the public toilets at Penel Orlieu, Blake Gardens and Taunton Road in an attempt to minimise the risk of unsuspecting members of the public catching themselves on a used syringe.
A council spokesman told the Mercury: “While not condoning the use of drugs in public toilets, Sedgemoor District Council has installed the bins to protect other users of the toilets.
“There has been a recent rise in discarded syringes at these locations, and in consultation with drug and alcohol support organisation Turning Point, the bins have been introduced to provide a safer means of disposal, thereby protecting the public in general.”
The controversial decision to install the bins was supported by NHS Somerset, who stressed the importance of tackling the problem.
Spokesman Paul Courtney told the Mercury: “If drug users are discarding their needles they are putting people at risk.
“If no action was taken against this, it could create more problems.”
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