The City has a new program to quickly clean up hypodermic needles tossed as litter by drug-users.
The Mobile Sharps Collection Team, formed last month as part of the Boston Public Health Commission, will pick up needles in public areas at public request. Residents who find needles should never touch them. Instead, they can call the Mayor’s 24-Hour Hotline at 617-635-4500 or report the needle through the Citizens Connect app.
By June 23, the team already had collected more than 2,000 needles, according to the City.
“Public spaces should be safe for the people of Boston and visitors, and loose needles are a risk to anyone who is exposed,” said Mayor Martin Walsh in a press release. “Throughout the many public meetings I’ve hosted, I’ve heard, loud and clear, the concerns of our residents.”
Aside from picking up needles, the team also serves as part of the City’s existing substance-abuse outreach program. The team also will seek out discarded needles on its own.
For more information, see the BPHC website at bphc.org.