Photo: Colin Dacre

A "sharps" disposal bin on the 200 block Main Street public washrooms

The City of Penticton says it will consider “other options” if a collaborative solution cannot be reached with Interior Health on the issue of discarded needles in the community.

Mayor John Vassilaki and city staff met with officials from Interior Health Thursday to discuss how the safe disposal of needles can be better managed. The meeting comes after a woman says her niece was poked by a discarded syringe in Skaha Lake Park this week.

“Today’s meeting was useful in providing an opportunity to share our perspectives,” said city manager Donny van Dyk.  “City staff will continue to work with Interior Health to determine how a collaborative solution can be found. If a collaborative solution can not be arrived at, staff will bring other options to council for their consideration.”

Mayor Vassilaki said in a statement the city and Interior Health “agreed on a number of points, including the recognition of the issue’s complexity, the need for a collaborative approach, and the importance of continuing needle disposal education.”

“I believe there is still ground to cover when it comes to receiving clear data on needle usage, along with who, from Interior Health, is in the best position to address this problem,” the mayor’s statement concluded.

The city’s summary of the meeting noted Interior Health “clarified” that “discarded needles do not spread disease once they have been left on the ground or exposed to the elements.”

Interior Health has also committed to appearing before council during a public meeting to further explain the situation.