A trial proposal to introduce a waste needle bin in Belfast city centre is seen as a step toward addressing drug issues in the city, according to councillor Brian Smyth. Belfast City Council is set to vote on the installation of the bin at the council-owned car park on Little Donegall Street. This decision comes after councillors selected the car park over Corporation Square as the location for the needle bin during a meeting of the People and Communities Committee last month.
According to Smyth, the council is currently removing between 600 and 700 needles each month from the city center with various organizations also involved in needle collection efforts. A council report highlighted an increase in needle finds in recent months, identifying it as one of the top six locations for discarded needles. The proposed metal needle bin, to be securely concreted to the ground, aims to offer a safe method for disposing of sharps.
Smyth previously motioned for similar bins to be placed in Writer’s Square, although this was not possible due to it not being council land. He expressed concern over the image problem posed by the continued discovery of needles in significant areas. The Department for Communities has been collaborating with the council and other organizations to address drug abuse and related anti-social behavior in Belfast’s city center.
Volunteer Damian McNairney, representing The People’s Kitchen in Belfast, stressed the urgent need for proactive and compassionate strategies to combat the city’s drug crisis. McNairney emphasized the importance of addressing addiction at its source to effectively manage drug-related issues. He highlighted the positive impact of removing needles from the streets and advocated for the establishment of a safe injection facility in Belfast, citing the successful model in Dublin. Justice Minister Naomi Long also acknowledged the ongoing challenges in dealing with illegal drugs in Northern Ireland, emphasizing the need for a reevaluation of existing approaches
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