Drug needle disposal costs Shrewsbury council £2,500

There are dozens of sharp bins placed in public toilets across Shrewsbury in a bid to crack down on drug users storing needles in dangerous places.

The town council says it has been left with no choice but to install bins so needles can be disposed of safely.

Nedles have been found left in dangerous places, from inside toilet rolls to behind cisterns.

The cost to the tax-payer stands at roughly £2,500, and as thousands of visitors prepare to descend on Shrewsbury for the flower show there is a total of 16 sharp bins in male and female public toilets across the town.

Town Clerk Helen Ball believes the sharp bins help to keep the public safe and they may also be used by those taking medication for conditions including diabetes.

She said: "Some people may think it's a disgrace to have sharp bins in public toilets but it's either that or finding needles.

"There were needles in toilet roll, needles placed in the lights, behind cisterns, and down drains.

"If they cause blockages and the person repairing the drain sees the needles, they will naturally not go anywhere near it and that costs us more money in the long run.

"Each bin costs roughly £150, and we need to get someone in to dispose of the contents at a cost of £2,500 each year.

"We do not get any funding for that, so that's money from the tax payer.

"It's about acting responsibly and there must be at least one sharp bin in every male and female toilet and some toilet blocks will have more.

"We are a responsible council and the bins are not just used by drug users, but members of the public who may need to take medication."

The recently opened toilets at Butcher Row have been fitted with sharp bins in the cubicles, which are locked and also have hazardous tape on.

The block was formally a notorious site for drug users, and the renovation cost thousands of pounds.

Sharp bins have gradually been rolled out across the town for several years now, after users left needles in public places.