Sharp consequences for discontinued Surrey program

> How lack of used-needle clean-up affects safety

Mercedes Deutscher News Editor

public safety program,

operated by Lookout Emergency Aid, was discontinued in Surrey on September g due to lack of funding.

Rig Dig was a program that allowed for the clean-up and safe disposal of trash— most importantly, used needles—from public spaces, such as streets and parks.

According to CBC, Rig Dig has been responsible for the disposal of over 21,000 needles since April.

Over the last year, however, funding for the program has been cut drastically. While the program previous operated on $50,588, it was granted only $8,400 in 2015-16. Since Rig Dig used most of that funding within three months, it had to look to emergency funding to make it to September. They

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received a $4,000 emergency grant from Surrey Homelessness and Housing Society, as

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reported by the Province. “I don’t know who is going to collect these discarded needles

Inside Douglas College's garbage

> A look at the new recycling initiative being put in place this year

Jamal Al-Bayaa Staff Writer

D ouglas College’s new garbage and recycling program isn’t wasting any time setting the tone for what garbage and recycling disposal will look like at the college from here onwards.

A team of dedicated staff and student volunteers—led by Andrew Hodgson, facilities manager at New Westminster— is working towards a common goal: educating the Douglas College population of how the new system will work. They can be seen in the concourse, near recycling bins, and elsewhere around campus in bright green shirts.

The goal is a total of 75 per cent waste diversion, meaning that only 25 per cent of everything Douglas College students will throw out will go into the garbage. It’s a common goal among universities, as well as the milestone that the City of Vancouver and other municipalities are trying to reach.

It is a difficult one, however, with Hodgson telling the Other Press that similar initiatives elsewhere have currently achieved a landfill diversion rate of about 58 per cent.

By far, the biggest change that students and staff will see is the addition of a new composting bin. It is now completely separate from garbage, meaning it will be

sorted and taken to a composting facility, whereas before it was taken to the landfill, which is environmentally damaging, and generally inefficient. The addition of a composting bin brings the total bin number up to four. Despite the efforts of staff and student volunteers, the Douglas College population reports a general feeling of confusion around the specifics of what goes in which bin. Where do straws go? Where do coffee cups go? Where does the metal foil of a yogurt container go? The problem

that the recycling initiative is currently experiencing is that

if people don’t know where something goes, they often revert back to their “safest option,” which is throwing things out into the garbage. However, with a 75 per cent landfill diversion target, this is possibly the worst place to throw most items.

A campaign was made to smooth the transition from a garbage mindset to a recycling mindset. Coffee cups have been especially tricky for the new recycling program, and were

Image via thinkstock

if we don’t,” Keir Macdonald, director of Lookout, told the Province. “We do expect a bit of an outcry on this.”

With the program on at least a temporary closure, residents and business owners in Surrey—Whalley in particular— can expect to find more used needles on the streets.

While most of the needles are usually found in Whalley, usage of opioids has become more widespread in Surrey over the previous few years, and used needles are being discarded all around the city, posing a broader threat. There is extra cause for concern with school being back in session.

Macdonald told the Surrey Now “..it’s not just the primary business area that we keep an eye on, the parks, the streets, we do the school areas as well. Without this service we won't be sweeping through.”

Used needles pose a safety hazard due to their contact

reported as one of the most common mistakes made. “Pop the Top” illustrates the coffee cup going into a paper recycling bin, and the lid going into a mixed containers bin. The poster illustrates the marketing style

of the recycling campaign well, with few words, visual appeal,

and easily digestible information.

“We really rely on good signage,’ Hodgsons said.

He elaborated that it’s especially important that the whole project looks professional and respectable, and he

with the bloodstream, and can transmit harmful diseases and viruses, especially if the user was HIV positive. Macdonald hopes that the outcry from Rig Dig ceasing to exist will be enough to revive the program. If Lookout were to receive more funding for Rig Dig over the next few months, there is still a possibility for the program to re-open next year. Fraser Health advises those who encounter used needles in the streets not to touch them. If people need to dispose of them, they should wear gloves, and place the needle in a bottle or other container. They should bring it to the nearest pharmacy or public health unit. People can also call their nearest health unit to come dispose of the needles. Those who come in unprotected contact with a needle should wash their hands immediately, try not to squeeze the affected area, and visit a health unit or clinic.

Photo by Joel McCarthy

feels that the campaign has achieved that goal. Hopefully, that respect translates into a greater appreciation of the recycling process. Implementation has been considered a success, but reports of student confusion continue. Likewise, there is visual proof that people are still unsure of exactly what goes where. However, it is improving over time, and it is part of a process that will take many months of feedback, and trial and error.