Tackling drug related litter – Guidance and good practice

1. Tackling drug related litter – Guidance and good practice Andrew Osborne Local Environmental Quality Team

2. Tackling drug related litter - history • Looking at the issue since 2003 • Department of Health, Home Office, ODPM, Encams, CIWM, etc • The need for guidance • Involvement of key players

3. Tackling drug related litter – why? • Drug related litter doesn’t affect all communities • Where it is found – impacts are stark • Livability • Perceived risk higher than the actual risk

4. Tackling drug related litter – facts and figures • 97% of local authorities were aware of discarded needles having been reported or found in the previous three years • Over a quarter of authorities found in excess of 100 needles in 2001 (27%), in comparison to almost a third in 2002 (31%) and 2003 (30%) • Overall, discarded needles were most commonly found in parks and playing fields (83%), residential areas (77%) and public toilets (72%)

5. Tackling drug related litter – facts and figures • Two-fifths of local authorities were aware of needlestick injuries since 2001 (40%) • A total of 169 injuries were recorded in the three years prior to the 2004 survey • The 2004 study found that the majority of people injured by discarded needles were local authority employees • LEQSE less than 1% of sites affected by DRL

6. Tackling drug related litter – the Guidance • Part one – context and legislation • Part two – managing the issue (the 14 recommendations) • The role of partnership • Audience • Not compulsory

7. Tackling drug related litter - Recommendations • When setting up a new service to respond to DRL (or reviewing an existing service), evaluate the need for provision on sex related litter and consider a combined service, where this need exists

8. Tackling drug related litter – Recommendations • Establish an agreement or protocol between the Police and local agencies regarding the possession of used needles and drug paraphernalia

9. Tackling drug related litter – Recommendations • Liaise with your local Environment Agency office at the earliest opportunity in order to determine what regulations apply and how these will be enforced

10. Tackling drug related litter - Recommendations • Working in partnership is the key to the effective management and reduction of drug related litter. Whatever range of approaches are taken, they will all be far more effective when taken in partnership. There are a wide range of agencies and organisations that will have some part to play in reducing the problem and its wider impacts

11. Tackling drug related litter - Recommendations • Where drug related litter is identified as a problem, agencies in an area should prepare one joint plan to tackle it; clearly identifying all relevant stakeholders with them signed up to specific roles

12. Tackling drug related litter - Recommendations • Coordinate the reporting of discarded needles across all local agencies and departments in order to establish a true picture of the extent, locations and nature of the problem

13. Tackling drug related litter - Recommendations • Needle exchanges and other suppliers of harm reduction equipment for drug users should ensure that they actively work with local partners to reduce the incidence of needles and other drug litter discarded in public places

14. Tackling drug related litter - Recommendations • Local authority cleansing standards should include clear response times for drug litter (and other dangerous items) that are faster than those for general litter

15. Tackling drug related litter - Recommendations • Local service providers should deliver a 24 hour service; collecting needles from as wide a range of locations as possible; working with neighbouring agencies to provide this where it is more efficient to do so. Repeat calls to the same location should be followed up with proactive design solutions

16. Tackling drug related litter - Recommendations • Training and briefing should be provided for all those who will potentially come into contact with drug litter. Staff should take the view that any needle or paraphernalia could be infected and will therefore present a risk requiring appropriate management

17. Tackling drug related litter - Recommendations • Plans for managing drug related litter should include close liaison with those responsible for the design, maintenance and management of public toilets

18. Tackling drug related litter - Recommendations • Due to the increased risk to users and lack of evidence as to its efficiency, blue lighting should not be used in public toilets to deter drug use

19. Tackling drug related litter - Recommendations • Partnerships should fully explore the potential for sharps bins, liaising closely with drug users and services to ensure the siting and promotion of bins is as effective as possible

20. Tackling drug related litter - Recommendations • Public information should not include any suggestion that needles can be moved or touched, nor any reference to steps that the public could take to dispose of needles they find. At the very least, full legal advice should be sought before including any such advice

21. Tackling drug related litter • Funding • Further information

22. Further information www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/index.htm E-mail andrew.osborne@defra.gsi.gov.uk