'Get the needles out from the playgrounds': Sudbury searches for funds to buy more disposal bins

The City of Greater Sudbury is looking for partnerships and grants to fund more community needle disposal bins.

The containers are used by the public to throw out sharp objects, such as syringes, razor blades or broken glass.

The cost of installation is approximately $2,000 and the fee to remove the materials from the bins is an additional $750 per month, according to a report that was presented to the city's community services committee meeting on Monday. 

"That issue with the cost of pick up is one of a little bit of concern," councillor Al Sizer said.

'We could get one at Bell Park'

Right now, the city has bins located at Hnatyshyn Park and the site of the Sudbury and District Health Unit's Paris Street office.

The container in Hnatyshyn Park was funded through a one time Civil Remedies Act grant made available through Greater Sudbury Police Services. The grant also paid for another bin, but it's location is still under consideration.

For now, the city's operating departments are absorbing the pick up costs from existing operating budgets.

The city will have to find a sustainable way to fund the containers as it has plans to install more in the future. 

"If we could get one at Bell Park and you know all the parks we have. . . I bet you we'd see actually see an increase of use and get the needles out from the playgrounds and what not where people can get hurt accidentally," councillor Rene Lapierre said.