A dangerous discovery inside a Lowell mailbox has the community sounding off on what they say is a growing problem with needles popping up all over the city.
A mail carrier found needles and syringes inside a collection box on Appleton Street this week.
“Fortunately the needles were capped and the carrier wasn’t hurt, but we are planning to move the collection box out of concern for our employees and our customers.” Steve Doherty of the U.S. Postal Service said.
USPS has not decided where the box will move to, but says it should not be more than a block or two away.
Police say there is a lot of drug activity in the area of Appleton and South Streets, but they receive calls daily about needles that have been improperly disposed of throughout the city.
“Because of the opioid epidemic, it’s bigger now, we’re seeing it more than we used to,” Captain Tim Crowley said.
NECN found a needle Thursday on the South Common, which is right near a school. Police were notified and said they would retrieve it.
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It is illegal to dispose of a needle in a mailbox or even in a regular trashcan. You can dispose of it properly in a receptacle carried by Trinity Ambulance, who has received 47 calls in 30 days for needles found in public.
