Under a new bill announced Thursday, the city's health care workers could be forced to pick up used drug syringes that are thrown away in the trash near “needle exchange” spots across the Big Apple.
A new bill from City Councilman Oswald Ferris would require the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to pick up hundreds of needles that are often discarded on sidewalks and parks after being picked up by city-funded portable syringes. Planning is required. distribution center.
“Needle exchange programs can save lives, but we must ensure these programs are conducted responsibly,” Ferris said, adding that exchanges allow users to obtain new needles. It was pointed out that there is no need to submit used needles beforehand.
“Communities should not have to deal with used needles discarded in parks, libraries, or even school playgrounds, creating an unpleasant and unsafe environment for the entire community. ” Ferris added.
The bill would require city medical staff to work with providers in the city's Syringe Service Program to develop a plan to receive as many needles as possible after they are distributed, even if they are not returned directly by drug users. .
Still, Torres, who lives in the Tremont section of the Bronx in Ferris, said the used needles in Richman Park are so bad that she won't let her nieces and nephews near the area.
Tremont resident Isaiah Torres, 47, said Richman Park has so many used needles that he doesn't want his young nieces and nephews near the green space.
“I don't walk in this park with them because I don't know what I'm going to see,” Torres said, but their presence has diminished due to arctic cold and snow on the ground.
“It was really bad in the summer. You couldn't walk through it without seeing needles on the floor,” he said.
But Torres said she doesn't want to end up having to pick up used needles.
“It’s kind of crazy,” Torres told the Post. “So I guess if we want to supply them, we have to clean up after them, but we don’t know what diseases they have.”
Meanwhile, councilors said the park was nearly “unusable” due to large numbers of needles littering the lawns and playgrounds. Ferris said the health department doesn't have the resources or training to deal with the onslaught of dirty needles facing public spaces like Richman's.
Ferris also said the nearby elementary school, PS 28, has a severe problem with needles, with school staff arriving an hour before class starts every morning to pick up dirty syringes.
“This should not be tolerated under any circumstances,” Ferris said. “Students should not have to tiptoe to school safely, and parents should not have to worry about their children’s safety when playing on park playgrounds. We want to ensure that these programs are implemented responsibly. I'm proud to introduce this bill that guarantees that.”
Alissa, who declined to give her last name, was walking with her daughter near the PS on Wednesday.
“It's disgusting. No one wants to see needles on the floor,” the 30-year-old said.
“Kids are curious. There's a park a block from the school and it's an elementary school,” she added.
Ferris' proposal comes after he sent a letter to the city health department last month complaining about a needle exchange site in front of the district's children's library.
If passed and signed into law, his proposal would direct the department to report the number of needles distributed and recovered.
A department spokesperson did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment.
Tony Rodriguez, 57, who recently walked past Richman, said he was skeptical the proposal would pass.
“Well, do you think any sane person would come and clean up after a crack addiction?'' he said.
Still, he thinks needles are a problem.
“This is not a park for kids. This is for addicts,” Rodriguez said.
