NELC apologises after taking 24 hours to pick up syringe found in Grimsby
NORTH East Lincolnshire Council has apologised after it took more than 24 hours to pick up a used syringe found in the street – because they "misheard" the address.
Council chiefs made the admission as they appealed for residents spotting needles to alert them straight away, so they could arrange for them to be collected safely.
-
Disgusted: Jamie Balderson with the syringe he found in the street.
However, father-of-two Jamie Balderson, 28, of Corporation Road, said he was disgusted it had taken NELC so long to collect a syringe he found outside his 92-year-old grandmother's Earl Street home – a street often used by children to get to school.
After spotting the needle at about 10am on Tuesday, he called over a passing PCSO, who immediately reported the issue to NELC and secured a promise that a team would be sent to collect it as an "emergency job".
30% off on our collection range and other selected fabrics. alternatively call 809887 and we will bring our samples to you for our friendly hassle free quote.
Contact: 01472 809887
Valid until: Saturday, July 13 2013
When the PCSO moved off, leaving the needle on the pavement, Mr Balderson decided to "stand guard" over it until the council team arrived.
However, by 11am there was still no sign of the collection team and he called the council again, only to be told it was on their list and that someone would collect it by the end of the day.
He said: "I couldn't believe it. Kids walk down here to get to school.
"By this time, I felt a bit daft just standing out in the street, so I decided to pick up the syringe and put it into one of my grandmother's recycling boxes, so at least it was off the street and no-one could get hurt."
Mr Balderson then called NELC again to explain what he had done and was assured that the job had been marked as a priority.
However, when he returned to his grandmother's house at 9am yesterday, he was horrified to find the syringe was still where he left it.
He said: "I have a three-year-old and we had another baby on New Year's Eve, so I know why it's so important.
"I wouldn't want these kind of things left lying around for my kids to find.
My grandmother isn't keen on having it in her garden either but, as I said, it's better than it being left on the street for a child to find."
However, a spokesman for NELC blamed the delay on a mix-up over the address.
Speaking yesterday, Councillor David Bolton, portfolio holder for Community Safety and Neighbourhoods, said: "The needle was picked up from Earl Street this morning (Wednesday) at 11.30am.
"We misheard the address when it was reported and we're sorry for the delay.
"Our advice to people who find needles is to report it on 01472 313131 to arrange for it to be picked up.
"Callers are usually advised to safely place the needle in a container out of harm's way and it will be collected the following day.
"They are picked up sooner if there are several needles or they are found in a prominent place such as a play area."
12 Comments
View all
by davendogs
Thursday, January 31 2013, 7:31PM
“Thanks for clearing it up Jamie. It would of helped if GT gave a more accurate account.”
by Cake_Dude_Jay
Thursday, January 31 2013, 4:19PM
“placing a dangerous object such as this in amongst non clinical waste is a danger to the people who have to deal with it, and its not a bag its in its a small plastic tray which i tipped it into as the photographer asked me to place it in as the recycle box wasnt suitable for photographic purposes”
by daveyw
Thursday, January 31 2013, 4:05PM
“jesus - pick it up and bin it”
by Cake_Dude_Jay
Thursday, January 31 2013, 3:59PM
“I would like to say I contacted the council 3 times in total after the PCSO's had contacted them. The first time was around a few minutes after the PCSO's had informed us they had let the council know. This was because I didn't expect the needle to be left unattended in a busy street where children pass very often. This was to ask the council how long they would be roughly before it would be picked up as I felt if I had of just left it there it would make me just as irresponsible as the person who left it there in the first place. They told me that the job had been put out as an emergency job and would be attended shortly as it had been requested it be picked up by the team straight away. This was why I stood by to make sure that no kids got hold of it. I didn't move it as I did not have correct PPE which is the reason I presume the PCSO's didn't do anything further. I waited about around a hour but could not wait any longer as my daughter needed picking up from school so only as a last resort did I take it upon myself to move the needle to one of the recycle box's in the garden. I did this by using a empty beer can left close to the needle to push it into the recycle container this was then moved to the garden and I then made a second call to the council to update them as to its whereabouts. It may or may not have posed a risk of infection/disease to myself but as I am in no way qualified or sure of what dangers it poses I decided to not risk anything. I felt that the risk to any passing children was higher as yes it did have a needle attached and could of quite easily of been used to break skin.
The 3rd time I contacted them was the following morning because it was still where I had told them it was and they had not collected it on the day they promised and when I contacted them they did not inform me of any reason whatsoever why it had not already been collected, there was no mention of a misheard address until after it had been collected and that was to the telegraph not myself.”
by davendogs
Thursday, January 31 2013, 12:37PM
“There is little chance of getting anything, it's cold. Aids, Hepatitus I believe works at body temperature.”
by sarahbryant88
Thursday, January 31 2013, 11:12AM
“Well i would not of picked that up lol could get aids”
by davendogs
Thursday, January 31 2013, 11:05AM
“I have a syringe similar to that, though its not pink. Graduated in tenghs of a ml. It is vet issued for administering medicine to animals, no needle.”
by Chixxey
Thursday, January 31 2013, 11:05AM
“Just to say that I too rang NELC last Friday morning about several syringes and packets on the grass verge right beside the pavement near B&M/Dreams bed shop in the town centre. NELC took too long to answer so I too flagged down x2 pcso's who I left to deal with the issue.
In regard to whether the syringe found by this bloke had a needle attached or not, my concern is the same as this bloke's, drug paraphrenalia shouldn't be exposed and disposed of in this way. If left insitu, it kind of gives impression it's being condoned. Even if just a syringe, I wouldn't want to guess whether it had remnants in it or not.”
by wecamethru47
Thursday, January 31 2013, 10:00AM
“Is everyone turning into wimps? Get rid yourself - no big deal. Council turning into babysitters!”
by davendogs
Thursday, January 31 2013, 9:23AM
“How did it get into that nice little bag he is holding? Does it indeed have a needle on the end or is it simply a syringe. He could have taken it to a local doctors and request it be put in a sharps box or otherwise disposed of. It likely poses no more threat than dog poo on the path.”