When city councillors delve into budget talks for 2021, needle-disposal bins for local parks will be on the agenda.
Council committee discussed the issue Monday, after staff prepared a report in response to an inquiry from Coun. Jay Fallis.
The councillor had previously noted a child was said to have found a needle recently at a playground in the city, which prompted his inquiry.
Staff have recommended the cost of the disposal bins be referred for consideration as part of the 2021 operating budget.
The plan calls for two wall-mounted, metal bins — one to be installed outside the public washrooms at Couchiching Beach Park and the other to go outside the public washrooms at Tudhope Park, near Moose Beach.
The anticipated cost is $1,550. That includes $700 for the bins and $850 to cover the cost of collection three times a year.
“The solution that’s proposed is a nice medium. It’s feasible and … safe,” Fallis said.
The city maintains a “sharps recovery log” that keeps a record of every time staff dispose of a sharp — “the generic name given to a needle, syringe or lancet,” as described in Monday’s report. In six years of tracking, city staff have disposed of about 60 needles, most of which were found near parks and beaches.
Only three needles have been disposed of by staff in the past three years.
“This could suggest there is not a significant demand for sharps disposal units within the community,” the staff report read. “However, this tracking and information does not capture sharps that may have been discovered and disposed of by the public or those disposed of improperly within garbage disposal bins.”
Coun. Mason Ainsworth supported the motion.
“When you look at the costs, they are fairly low,” he said. “Even if it’s just a couple of needles a year that are going in there … it’s worth it at the end of the day.”
The decision will be up for ratification by council at its meeting Thursday.
