Volunteers clear more than 19,000 needles from waterways over last 2 years
By Kayla Moeller
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SACRAMENTO, California (KOVR/KMAX) — A local volunteer group is sounding the alarm about some of the litter they’re finding washing up along creeks and rivers in the Sacramento region.
River City Waterway Alliance (RCWA) shared photos of the more than 19,000 needles they’ve removed from in and around local rivers and creeks. There are so many needles that they’ve decided to hand count them and keep a log.
“Our concern was not necessarily just that we’re finding needles but what other impacts that has on society not just within the camps but downstream because they float they end up everywhere,” said David Ingram with the RCWA.
During winter, the water ebbs and flows, dispersing needles and other trash miles away — sometimes burying the needles in sand and brush.
“You might think you’re in an area by Discovery Park where there are no active camps, there’s no active drug use but little do you know that on that beach could be needles that have flushed down from upstream when the water was higher,” Ingram said.
The RCWA has filled more than a dozen five-gallon jugs to the brim with needles they’ve found just over the last two years.
“We’re not out here to say there shouldn’t be needle exchange programs,” Ingram said. “We’re just questioning whether or not it’s an actual exchange.”
Clean needle programs can be found across California and the country, all working to stop the spread of disease. But Ingram said that without a proper exchange, they may be contributing to another problem.
“Worst-case scenario. needles are just freely dropped off at camps, which we have seen happen,” he said.
Ingram noted that he recognizes the benefits of a needle exchange program but wants to be transparent about the amount of needles actually given out.
“Maybe there needs to be a discussion amongst the folks that organize and set up these programs,” he said. “Just an honest discussion about what’s happening to evaluate the success.”
Ingram said that the RCWA used to have younger organizations like Boy Scouts, high school students or church groups come out on clean-ups, but because of the danger the needles pose, they’ve had a severe reduction in those organizations who would traditionally be heavily involved in that type of volunteer work.
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