Tens of thousands needles discarded in streets, parks near Richmond injecting clinic in a year

Experts believed the Richmond facility would reduce the number of discarded needles in the area, but this alarming figure raises doubts about that claim.

RESIDENTS and businesses in the City of Yarra were ­subjected to almost 250 syringes strewn across public footpaths and parks each and every day last year.

The Herald Sun can reveal that in 2021, 90,000 needles were discarded on the streets and playgrounds of the ­municipality, which houses the state’s current only safe injecting room.

The Medically Supervised Injecting Room (MSIR), which opened in 2018, was set up to offer “a hygienic place where people can inject drugs” so that “if someone overdoses in the room, a staff member can respond immediately”.

It also claims that similar rooms around the world have “reduced the number of discarded needles and syringes in nearby public places” and therefore “assisted in reducing the spread of bloodborne diseases, including HIV and hepatitis C”.

It was hoped Richmond’s Safe Injecting Room would reduce the number of discarded needles and syringes in nearby public places. Picture: Jason Edwards

But the alarming figures obtained by the Herald Sun paint a very different picture.

It shows people flooding to the injecting room to score drugs and then injecting in public places, where the dangerous needles are discarded.

The 90,000 syringes found in 2021 is up 50 per cent more than in 2015 (60,000) when the injecting room had not yet opened.

The state government has stated it wants a second injecting room in Melbourne’s CBD but will not finalise a location until after the state election in November.

The Liberals have never supported a second injecting room.

In the past year, traders in the CBD have said they are “very concerned” about the issue of injecting rooms, saying they demanded answers from the state government on the location of the second facility.

Johnny Sandish, managing director at Xpressomondo cafe in Degraves St, said he was “shocked” by the number of syringes found.

“This is very concerning and just shows just what business owners have been worried about all along,” Mr Sandish said.

“We are worried that families who visit our iconic tourist destination will be subjected to discarded needles.”

Needles scattered all over North Richmond. Picture: Mark Stewart

Councillor Stephen Jolly said the figures were “concerning” and called for action to be taken.

“The council is being proactive and doing a very good job in picking up the needles, but the only place to go if you want to use the supervised injecting facility is North Richmond.

“It’s clear that the load needs to be taken off this suburb – we’re the epicentre,” he said.

North Richmond resident Sharon Neven, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, said she had seen used needles strewn across the area daily.

“Butler Park is a place where the drug users hang out and openly inject,” Ms Neven said.

“The corner of Lennox and Victoria streets is absolutely filthy – there are needles everywhere and it shouldn’t be at the ratepayers’ expense to clean them up.”

A police officer picks up a used syringe off the ground Picture: Jason Edwards

A Victorian government spokesman said the Richmond site had saved at least 44 lives since opening.

“Drug use and antisocial behaviour, including public injecting and incorrectly disposed of syringes, has been an issue the City of Yarra has grappled with for decades and that’s why the medically supervised injecting room is in its location,” he said.

But opposition mental health spokeswoman Emma Kealy said the government had broken a key promise.

“The Andrews Labor government has completely botched its injecting room trial in North Richmond, including breaking its key promise that it would improve local amenity and get needles off the streets.”

A Yarra City Council spokeswoman said the council took a “proactive approach” to syringe collection, significantly increasing its cleansing efforts in recent years.

“Last year, council collected more than 90,000 incorrectly disposed of syringes across the City of Yarra,” she said.

“Maintaining community safety and local amenity remains of paramount importance to council.”

Originally published as Tens of thousands needles discarded in streets, parks near Richmond injecting clinic in a year