Lack of snow reveals used needles around Regina

With so little snow on the ground this year, people have been reporting used needles in Regina as early as February.

The Street Project is run by the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region and handles calls for safe pickup of dirty needles. The team normally gets busier in the spring, but this year they started getting more calls in February.

If you see a used needle on public property you can call the Street Project at 306-766-7799 on weekdays before 6 p.m. to have someone pick it up. On weekends and evenings you can call the fire department at 306 -777 -7830.

Or you can use a shovel or thick gloves to pick it up yourself. Always store sharps in hard sided containers and don’t throw them in the garbage.

The Street Project will not clean up needles on private property, but cleanup kits are available on loan to the public.

Used needles are found across the city, but more commonly reported in the central area. Common places to find them include back alleys, sidewalks, parking lots and gutters, but they are reported more in parks in warmer weather.