Baltimore City Health Department installs syringe drop boxes

For the first time, Baltimore City's health department has installed syringe drop boxes throughout the community.

The health department announced that they've installed four red drop boxes in East, North and Southwest Baltimore.

The boxes will "provide a safe, secure way to dispose of used syringes, help prevent needle-stick [an accidental sticking with a used needle], and help keep our streets safe and our community clean. By promoting safe disposal, we’re taking a step towards better health outcomes for everyone."

The boxes are in two sites in East Baltimore (Charm City Care Connection at 1214 N. Wolfe Street, and Little Eager Park at 2316 E. Eager Street); one in Hampden (St. Luke's Church on the Avenue at 800 W. 36th Street); and one in Morrell Park, at Washington Boulevard and Whistler Avenue.

Health Department spokesperson Blair Adams said there "may be some plans for additional locations, [but] that hasn’t been confirmed yet."

A health-department flier posted by Morrell Park Community Association notes that there's been "an increase in syringe litter," and the dropbox initiative is in partnership with the Department of Transportation and the Department of Recreation and Parks.

People may have seen syringe drop boxes in some privately-owned city locations, such as some Starbucks sites that have them in the bathrooms.

There have also been localized efforts, such as Pigtown residents who installed a disposal bin .