Syringe Disposal
Yarra City Council contracts Innerspace, part of North Yarra Community Health,
to conduct syringe management services across the municipality.
The syringe management services provided to local residents and businesses include:
- Responding to requests from the community to collect discarded syringes from local streets, parks and other public areas, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People can arrange collection by contacting the Yarra Syringe Disposal Hotline on 9417 5125.
- Daily sweeps to remove discarded syringes from identified drug hotspots, where syringes are regularly found.
- Providing and maintaining syringe disposal bins across the municipality. The bins are located in public toilets, parks and other identified hotspots where discarded syringes are regularly found. Here are the locations of the syringe disposal bins. If you notice that a syringe disposal bin is full or damaged, please contact the Yarra Syringe Disposal Hotline on 9417 5125 or at YarraSyringe.Disposal@nych.org.au
In addition to Innerspace's contracted services, Council also picks up discarded syringes and related drug paraphernalia as part of its daily street cleaning services throughout the municipality.
Council's syringe management services form part of the Safer Yarra Plan 2011-2014, which is a guide to maintaining and improving safety within the municipality.
What to do if you find a discarded syringe
You can:
1. Call or email for collection
Sometimes needles and syringes are discarded improperly and you may find this equipment in the community. You can help to keep the streets free of these unwanted items by arranging for their removal and disposal as soon as possible.
If you find a needle or syringe in a public space, or want to arrange to have a needle or syringe collected from your property, contact:
Yarra Syringe Disposal Hotline on 9417 5125 (24 hours, seven days a week) or at YarraSyringe.Disposal@nych.org.au
The Disposal Hotline is a message bank service. Please leave a message on the answering machine and your request will be acted on within 24 hours. (This hotline is run by Innerspace, part of North Yarra Community Health.)
If you have any further queries or matters you wish to raise around discarded syringes, you can call Council on 9205 5555 during office hours (8.30am-5pm Monday to Friday).
2. Safely remove a discarded syringe
You may remove the syringe yourself only if you feel confident to do so. Here are the
Department of Health's guidelines on the safe retrieval and disposal of needles and syringes (347.59kB)
Syringe Containers
Innerspace (of North Yarra Community Health) can provide a free syringe disposal container to members of the community (including traders, residents and visitors to Yarra) who are interested in managing the collection of discarded syringes themselves. Innerspace is located at 4 Johnston Street, Collingwood. During business hours, you can contact Innerspace on 9468 2800.
Syringe Bin for Business
Council also offers a Bin for Business program to help local business operators safely manage and dispose of syringes. A one-off powder-coated complimentary syringe bin can be installed free of charge in an appropriate location near participating businesses. Participating businesses will receive a short training session on the safe handling and disposal of syringes. The businesses must make independent arrangements for the collection of any syringe waste from the bins, and will need to be able to show Council a copy of their contract with a waste disposal company which confirms these arrangements are in place. For more information, contact Susan Gulko, Community Safety Officer, on 9205 5156 or at Susan.Gulko@yarracity.vic.gov.au
Needle Stick Injuries
If you receive a needle-stick injury, do not panic. Your risk of contracting a blood-borne virus is extremely low, as advised by the Victorian Department of Health. Here are the
Department of Health's guidelines on the safe retrieval and disposal of needles and syringes (347.59kB)
Needle and Syringe Program
There are several Needle and Syringe Programs (NSPs) which operate in the City of Yarra.
NSPs have been established and funded for the specific purpose of ensuring the availability of sterile needles and syringes to injecting drug users, providing health information and education, making referrals into voluntary drug treatment and liaising with local agencies such as police, local government, health, drug treatment and welfare agencies, as well as other NSP services.
They also distribute disposal containers, alcohol swabs, condoms and water-based lubricant.
For NSP contact details or information about drug support services, contact Directline on 1800 888 236. Directline also provides a telephone counselling and referral service, 24 hours a day, seven days per week.
Further information
Susan Gulko
Community Safety Officer
9205 5156
susan.gulko@yarracity.vic.gov.au
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