Needle Collection in the Alewife
We are collaborating with the Cambridge Department of Public Health and the Central Square Business Association to pilot placing a sharps collection box on Green Cambridge’s plot of land in the Alewife reservation.
This is both an environmental and human rights initiative. A kiosk will benefit the wildlife and plants by preventing needles - sharp, bloody, and potentially infectious - from permeating the natural environment. Having a sharps container will also allow for safer enjoyment of the Alewife by visitors, who will have less reason to worry about needles on the ground during their runs, picnics, walks, etc. It will also humanize the experience of those suffering from addiction in the area, as they will have a safe and designated space for disposal, lower chances of finding littered used needles to reuse, and a greater feeling of community belonging.
The Issue
Improper needle disposal is becoming a huge point of concern for the city of Cambridge. With the help of kiosks like the one proposed, there have been approximately 26,000 needles safely collected in Central Square this past year alone according to the Central Square Business Association. The demand for such a service is becoming apparent in the Alewife Reservation; every time we conduct an Alewife cleanup, we come across needles—sometimes piles of them. Over the summer, our Parterre eco-techs had to arrive early in order to survey the site and safely discard any used needles before our Mayor’s Summer Youth could conduct their work.
Introducing a needle collection kiosk to the Alewife Reservation is a matter of environmental public health, and will allow for a cleaner, safer, and more inclusive experience for all.
How to Use a Sharps Collection Kiosk
Place sharps in a container (bottle, tupperware, red sharps container, or anything smaller than 1 quart) and close securely.
Put the container inside the Collection Kiosk.
Do not leave any sharps and/or containers outside the box.
Please refrain from disposing of trash in the Sharps Collection Kiosk.
If you find needles or syringes outside of the Kiosk, or in any public spaces in Cambridge, avoid touching them. Call the City’s Emergency Communications Center’s 24/7 non-emergency number at 617-349-3300.
Our Goals
Make the Alewife safer for visitors.
We aim to reduce the chances of coming into contact with used/bloody needles during your visit to the Alewife by providing a safe and consolidated place for disposal.
A needle in the box is a needle not left on the ground!
Protect the wildlife of the Alewife.
With a designated space for needle disposal, we will be able to protect the Alewife’s numerous animal and plant species from exposure to sharp objects and infectious disease.
Support people suffering from addiction.
We strive to protect the user community by keeping needles safely discarded and securely locked up. While it is not perfect, it is a commonly used harm reduction strategy to prevent the spread of blood-borne illnesses.
Interested in this project?
Our team would love to hear any of your ideas or questions! This is a community initiative, and we want to work together to make it happen.
The kiosk’s installation will only be completed once we have all safety and security measures in place - these include adequate lighting and hand sanitizer on site. If you feel passionately about seeing this project move forward, a donation to Green Cambridge can help us fund those safety features and get the kiosk in faster!