Ottawa finds more discarded needles

Ottawa was scattered with more discarded needles last year than the year before, according to city staff who have to collect them.

"Needle hunters" retrieved 8,327 needles in 2011 compared to about 4,900 the previous year. Staff also picked up 1,367 crack pipes, which was a few hundred more than 2010.

Theneedle hunters programfeatures a group of people who search for and dispose of discarded needles, crack pipes, and other drug paraphernalia in various neighbourhoods where the items are often found.

The five neighbourhoods where the most needles are found, according to the needle hunters, are:

• ByWard Market/Lowertown
• Centretown
• Hintonburg
• Vanier
• Carlington

The city has been trying to limit the number of discarded needles with its needle drop box program, which is run by Ottawa Public Health.

There are tamper-proof drop boxes at more than 40 locations in Ottawa that gathered 245,923 needles last year.

Other programs and agencies are alsoworking to limit the number of discarded needles in Ottawa.