June 21, 2017 11.07 am This story is over 81 months old

‘Worst abuse I’ve seen in 40 years’: Shock as used syringes posing health risk found in bin

A council officer has described coming about the worst abuse of collection services in four decades after encountering a number of used syringes found near the top of a recycling bin in a plastic bag. George Bernard, head of environmental services at Boston Borough Council, said that the abuse was “shocking” and posed a very…
The contaminated needles found in the blue bin. Photo: Boston Borough Council

A council officer has described coming about the worst abuse of collection services in four decades after encountering a number of used syringes found near the top of a recycling bin in a plastic bag.

George Bernard, head of environmental services at Boston Borough Council, said that the abuse was “shocking” and posed a very real health risk.

The council’s bin man fortunately noticed the lid was slightly open with a piece of carpet-wedged in the top.

Purely by chance he avoided being injured.

Had he not spotted the needles the contents of the blue bin would have been emptied into the lorry and taken to the Boston Waste Transfer Station and then the Material Reclamation Facility where some sorting of recycled material is done by hand.

Officers visited the property and spoke to the resident responsible for placing the needles in the bin, advising that it is not acceptable.

Responsible needle users can dispose of their sharps themselves by bring them, in a proper yellow sharps box, to the council’s reception desk in West Street.

Please report any discarded hypodermic needles you find to Boston Borough Council by calling 01205 314 200 so that the authority can safely retrieve them and dispose of them correctly.