View Full Version : Used Needle on Dunnet Beach
Hi there went to take children and dog for much need walk on Dunnet Beach on Sunday and my little boy saw a used needle on the beach, up amongst the stuff brought in by the tide. I saw it too, thank god no one touched it, but didn't know who to tell about it, so just to let any one know. I just would not have expected that up here!
Sad , but anyone could have left it there locals, tourists ,visitor,s who knows, but if they want to use that crap that,s their choice, but they should at least have had the good sense to dispose of it properly. These people really disgust me. [disgust]
Too right, I mean if someone left it there you know theres going to be kids on the beach. Even my dog could have picked it up ( wouldn't surprise me at all she picks everything else up!) and I would have grabbed it out of her mouth without looking. Scary.
Aaldtimer
03-Oct-07, 04:41
And did you just leave it there?:confused
Sad , but anyone could have left it there locals, tourists ,visitor,s who knows, but if they want to use that crap that,s their choice, but they should at least have had the good sense to dispose of it properly. These people really disgust me. [disgust]
The drug problems up here are far worse than people seem to want to admit, I am not atall shocked that you came across a needle, I am only surprised that there arent more lying around.
People need to be more vigilant of this sort of thing, sad as it is.
On saying that it could very well have been used by someone who is diabetic but still the needle should of been disposed of safely[disgust]
Sad , but anyone could have left it there locals, tourists ,visitor,s who knows, but if they want to use that crap that,s their choice, but they should at least have had the good sense to dispose of it properly. These people really disgust me. [disgust]
Completely agree with you johno. There's no need to just abandon these things wherever they feel like it when they can get rid of them properly
oooops apologies Johno, I ment to quote 3boys4me, must of been half awake when i posted :roll:
And did you just leave it there?:confused
would you have picked this up and taken the risk of HIV? i wouldnt have!
I would of used a tissue or piece of paper or some thing to pick it up rather than just leave it for some poor kid to get hurt with it.
Hopefully you picked this up (with protection of course) and disposed of it in an adult manner.
im sorry but if you didnt have anything with you, had your kids and a dog, its not possible, i would have called someone say the police or that but i wouldnt have touched it sorry[disgust]
OH dear, ignorance is still rife about the HIV virus.
It would have been safe to pick up the needle as the virus can't live outside
the body for very long except under the right conditions and there would have been no need to touch it as I presume you had bags for the dog's poo which you could have used.
I know it is a frightening thing to find and I don't blame you for not picking it up BUT it just goes to show how fear can influence our reactions.
As I said, I am not blaming you for not picking it up; you were being responsible as far as you and your children were concerned and no-one wants to put their loved ones at risk.
Welcomefamily
03-Oct-07, 09:56
It possible some of the kids in Castletown, moved on from areosals behind the youth club.
Welcomefamily
03-Oct-07, 09:58
Its a sign of the times, but the drug problem up here seems to be getting worse than in many areas of the UK
Boozeburglar
03-Oct-07, 10:03
Darned diabetics.
Just why oh why would you not pick it up and dispose of it?
Every time I come upon a broken bottle or such I remove them, if we all did less kids, dogs etc. would come to harm.
Welcomefamily
03-Oct-07, 10:08
I better go down to Dunnet see if can I find some to pick up, a bit more insulin, I might lose weight
Welcomefamily, the original poster meant well when they posted their remarks; they were frightened of the consequences of touching the needle and didn't know where to start in reporting their find.
Although I have a good sense of humour and can hold my own in repartee, I don't think being flippant about such a serious subject is of any help.
hobbes1962
03-Oct-07, 11:24
Darned diabetics.
Just why oh why would you not pick it up and dispose of it?
Darned Diabetics eh? Have you proof that this is a needle that was used by a diabetic?
Metalattakk
03-Oct-07, 12:13
Any sensible diabetic would be well aware of the safe disposal procedures for their syringes and needles.
Anyway, modern insulin syringes are the small pocket-sized 'pen' contraptions. It's only old duffers like me that still use disposable syringes.
And, any sensible drug-user wouldn't be throwing away a valuable needle willy-nilly. These things can be used again and again, even when fairly blunt.
Murchiemannie
03-Oct-07, 12:25
We also came accross a used needle which the "user" had just thrown into a waste bin when we disturbed him. (hadn't even finished injecting- still half full) and he just legged it. He was known to the community and we contacted the police who came and disposed of it.
Glad to say the lad finally came to his senses and is now as normal as any young lad can be. This drug problem is not confined to one particular area it seems to be rife everywhere. Good on you for highlighting the find.
First of no I didn't pick it up and I will tell you why. Not because I am ignorant of Hiv but even if I had put it in a poo bag, where should I put it once I do that?In the bin? Actually, you are not meant to put broken glass or needles in the bin.What about the council bin man who come to change the bin and a needle is sticking out of it? Is that safe? It need to be prperly disposed of and as an ordinary member of the public I do not have the means to dispose of it in the correct way. Now before someone suggests something ridiculous like I should have put it in the poo bag then in my car to somewhere to correctly dispose of it, would youtake a used needle poking out of a bag in your car with three kids and a dog? Doubt it. Ultimatley my childrens safety comes first. I did ACTUALLY inform the police immediatley but it is not their responbilty to go picking up used needles, they don't have the facilites, but I did what i could under tthe circumstance.
Iam disappointed about the people that come on the org just to criticise others when for example, I was trying obviously again to do my nit to inform as many people as I can. I didn't leave it there for ch888t sake, some iiresponsible person did and I have done the best ican to make sure locals are aware to keep an eye. For those of you who come on here to play a game of criticising anyone they can, two words: GROW UP!
Metalattakk
03-Oct-07, 16:08
I better go down to Dunnet see if can I find some to pick up, a bit more insulin, I might lose weight
Yes you're right. Weight loss generally does follow death. Would your doctor recommend this method of weight-loss?
Although your comment is likely made in jest, I feel it would be irresponsible for me not to comment that using insulin for weight loss is a stupid and dangerous thing to do.
would you have picked this up and taken the risk of HIV? i wouldnt have!
The risk would have been almost non exisitent as the HIV virus is very weak. Once exposed to air it dies rapidly.
Sorry to sound rude but I watched the program presented by Stephen Fry and it was an eyeopener. The second part is on next week.
it's not just about HIV they harbour disease. if there was no risk hospital wouldn't have special means of disposing of them . It is very likely it had nothing at all on it in it etc but still you can't stick it in a regular bin so someon else comes along and injures themself.
HIV isn't the only risk froma dirty needle though is it, there Hep B and C,tetanus and a few others too.If I had found it there's no way i would have put it in my poopy scoop bag as there is no protection in a plastic bag.The only thing i would have considered was looking for a bottle or can washed up and putting the needle in there because putting a used or even unused needle in a public bin is in itself dangerous.Binmen wouldn't be aware that there was a danger in the bin and may get jabbed accidentally when emptying the bin or even somebody who was putting rubbish in it who decided to push it down or dropped something in the bin by accident and tried to retrieve it.Needles have to be disposed of safely, I am not saying leaving it behind was a good idea BUT if I thought there was danger to my kids I would have done the same and then perhaps returned with something to put it in x
telfordstar
03-Oct-07, 16:57
First of no I didn't pick it up and I will tell you why. Not because I am ignorant of Hiv but even if I had put it in a poo bag, where should I put it once I do that?In the bin? Actually, you are not meant to put broken glass or needles in the bin.What about the council bin man who come to change the bin and a needle is sticking out of it? Is that safe? It need to be prperly disposed of and as an ordinary member of the public I do not have the means to dispose of it in the correct way. Now before someone suggests something ridiculous like I should have put it in the poo bag then in my car to somewhere to correctly dispose of it, would youtake a used needle poking out of a bag in your car with three kids and a dog? Doubt it. Ultimatley my childrens safety comes first. I did ACTUALLY inform the police immediatley but it is not their responbilty to go picking up used needles, they don't have the facilites, but I did what i could under tthe circumstance.
Iam disappointed about the people that come on the org just to criticise others when for example, I was trying obviously again to do my nit to inform as many people as I can. I didn't leave it there for ch888t sake, some iiresponsible person did and I have done the best ican to make sure locals are aware to keep an eye. For those of you who come on here to play a game of criticising anyone they can, two words: GROW UP!
hi 3boys4me
Im with you on this one the kids safety comes first and yours as well. The thing is as well had you of picked it and and possibly injured yourself on the needle while trying to pick it up people would just of said why did you pick it up and not leave it so i think its a no win situation people are going to have bad opinions about it whatever you did. Me personaly with kids id of done exactly what you did so good on you.
When it comes to being criticised for things been there done that and i was just commenting on another persons post!
However you are right the two words Grow up sums it up good.:D
Yes you're right. Weight loss generally does follow death. Would your doctor recommend this method of weight-loss?
Although your comment is likely made in jest, I feel it would be irresponsible for me not to comment that using insulin for weight loss is a stupid and dangerous thing to do.
Made in jest or not, the comment is totally inaccurate anyway. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body to control your sugar level. The more insulin you take, the lower your blood sugar becomes and your appetite is stimulated. If your sugar level goes low and you do not eat, you will end up with a hypo. Believe me, when your blood sugar reading is 1.2 you would eat a scabby-heided wain as long as it was sprinkled with sugar!! Most diabetics actually have to cut back on their insulin and take more exercise to try to lose weight. The more insulin you take, the more likely it is that your weight will increase.
I use four syringes every day for my diabetes. That is almost 1500 a year. I put the tops back on mine and dispose of them in an empty 2 litre bottle with the lid taped on. I am sure that with so many needles on the go in the country, some of them are bound to go astray on occasion.
Metalattakk
03-Oct-07, 18:21
Made in jest or not, the comment is totally inaccurate anyway.
Of course. I should have picked up on this as well. Thanks for clarifying.
I use four syringes every day for my diabetes. That is almost 1500 a year. I put the tops back on mine and dispose of them in an empty 2 litre bottle with the lid taped on. I am sure that with so many needles on the go in the country, some of them are bound to go astray on occasion.
Do you use the "old-fashioned" BD Micro-fine syringes with the orange cap, or the "new-fangled" Novo-Pen contraption? I remember using glass syringes, with massive steel needles that had to be screwed on to the syringe, and blood sugar level monitoring equipment that consisted of a plastic jug to wee in, a dropper, a test tube and a wee tablet that reacted with it all to produce the (usually orange) colour on the provided chart. My, how things have changed. :)
I've been diabetic for 31 years now. At 2 a day, that's nearly 23,000 injections.
I dispose of the used syringes in a similar fashion to yourself, but I take the extra precaution of breaking the needle off the syringe (leaving it in the replaced orange cap) so that even if someone else got their hands on them, they couldn't be used (or sold on to desperate drug users) again.
Right. Enough rambling.
Of course. I should have picked up on this as well. Thanks for clarifying.
Do you use the "old-fashioned" BD Micro-fine syringes with the orange cap, or the "new-fangled" Novo-Pen contraption? I remember using glass syringes, with massive steel needles that had to be screwed on to the syringe, and blood sugar level monitoring equipment that consisted of a plastic jug to wee in, a dropper, a test tube and a wee tablet that reacted with it all to produce the (usually orange) colour on the provided chart. My, how things have changed. :)
I've been diabetic for 31 years now. At 2 a day, that's nearly 23,000 injections.
I dispose of the used syringes in a similar fashion to yourself, but I take the extra precaution of breaking the needle off the syringe (leaving it in the replaced orange cap) so that even if someone else got their hands on them, they couldn't be used (or sold on to desperate drug users) again.
Right. Enough rambling.
I have been diabetic for almost 14 years. Apparently I was relatively old to be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I use the older, disposable syringes but don't recall the glass ones. I have tried the pen devices but found that I had much better control over the actual injection with the smaller syringes. I have never had any problems with my injection sites and the injections are rarely painful. I found that the pens were harder to hold and seemed more brutal. Another factor was that the pen tips were unavailable on prescription when I first used them and you had to go to the Hospital Pharmacy for them at a mere 25 a time limit. It just wasn't practical and when the law changed to allow tips on prescription I was long established with the disposables and stayed with them. I lost over 3 stones in weight when my diabetes went undiagnosed for over a year. After I started taking insulin my weight swung in the opposite direction by 5 stones!! That is why I can vouch for the effect of insulin on weight.
It is certainly much better for diabetics now.
orkneylass
03-Oct-07, 19:47
First of no I didn't pick it up and I will tell you why. Not because I am ignorant of Hiv but even if I had put it in a poo bag, where should I put it once I do that?In the bin? Actually, you are not meant to put broken glass or needles in the bin.What about the council bin man who come to change the bin and a needle is sticking out of it? Is that safe? It need to be prperly disposed of and as an ordinary member of the public I do not have the means to dispose of it in the correct way. Now before someone suggests something ridiculous like I should have put it in the poo bag then in my car to somewhere to correctly dispose of it, would youtake a used needle poking out of a bag in your car with three kids and a dog? Doubt it. Ultimatley my childrens safety comes first. I did ACTUALLY inform the police immediatley but it is not their responbilty to go picking up used needles, they don't have the facilites, but I did what i could under tthe circumstance.
Iam disappointed about the people that come on the org just to criticise others when for example, I was trying obviously again to do my nit to inform as many people as I can. I didn't leave it there for ch888t sake, some iiresponsible person did and I have done the best ican to make sure locals are aware to keep an eye. For those of you who come on here to play a game of criticising anyone they can, two words: GROW UP!
It sould be possible to work out how to pick it up without pricking yourselg, and yes, the risk of disease is almost non-existent under the circumstances you describe. You could have taken it to a pharmacy or GP surgery for safe disposal.
telfordstar
03-Oct-07, 19:52
It sould be possible to work out how to pick it up without pricking yourselg, and yes, the risk of disease is almost non-existent under the circumstances you describe. You could have taken it to a pharmacy or GP surgery for safe disposal.
Is there not some kind of warden that patrols the beaches that can deal with this kind of situation.
Having a dog on a lead would make it hugely difficult i would imagine to start trying to pick up a needle, the minute you got near it 9 times out of 10 the dog will get it first, and i have to back 3boys4me here after losing a dog to a stray ball on a beach i sure as hell wouldnt go near a needle with my dog!! also i presume trying to handle 3 kids a dog and also negotiate picking up a used needle would be an absolute nightmare, whoevers needle it was, we will never know, she let the police know, she got her family off the beach safely and she let us all know about, cheers
George Brims
03-Oct-07, 20:13
Darned Diabetics eh? Have you proof that this is a needle that was used by a diabetic?
Has anyone proof that it was used for illegal drugs? I used to play with my granny's used syringes when I was a kid. She had pernicious aenemia and used to get regular vitamin B injections from the district nurse.
Whatever the source, a needle exposed to salt water and daylight is probably not going to pose much of a danger.
http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/news/newsreleases/2006/October/2006-10-18-01.htm
Quote:
" ... The Highland Council Transport Environmental and Community Services Biohazard Team deals directly with the uplift and disposal of discarded needles and provides a 24 x 7 response and advice service. If a member of the public finds a discarded needle, they should telephone the Response team on 01463 715087 (office hours) and 07748 745 968 (out of hours and weekends). ... "
ywindythesecond
06-Oct-07, 00:42
Hi there went to take children and dog for much need walk on Dunnet Beach on Sunday and my little boy saw a used needle on the beach, up amongst the stuff brought in by the tide. I saw it too, thank god no one touched it, but didn't know who to tell about it, so just to let any one know. I just would not have expected that up here!
The tide delivers rubbish twice a day to Dunnet Beach. The syringe is more likely to have been washed ashore than have been left there by someone who chose to go to the debris-line on the beach and inject themselves!
Jeemag_USA
06-Oct-07, 01:14
It could have been discarded or dropped accidentally, or lost at sea. I have several friends with diabetes who inject insulin regularly, but saying that they are usually religous about disposing of them. Not wishing to insult anyone, but me personally would have done something to dispose of it. We had squatters in a house belonging to our family here and once I went round and the place was broken into and full of needles. Someone once gave me a tip, find a glass bottle, pick the needles up with a piece of paper or cloth, insert the point into the bottle neck then snap it off so it drops in the bottle, cork the bottle with tissue or paper and put it in the trash, that way the bin men don't get poked with it. Usually the syringe will fit in the bottle also.
Jeemag_USA
06-Oct-07, 01:16
http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/news/newsreleases/2006/October/2006-10-18-01.htm (http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/news/newsreleases/2006/October/2006-10-18-01.htm)
Quote:
" ... The Highland Council Transport Environmental and Community Services Biohazard Team deals directly with the uplift and disposal of discarded needles and provides a 24 x 7 response and advice service. If a member of the public finds a discarded needle, they should telephone the Response team on 01463 715087 (office hours) and 07748 745 968 (out of hours and weekends). ... "
Great info, well done!! ;)
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