PEDESTRIANS walking Wagga's streets have been warned about the risk of needles dropped on the ground after an eight-year-old boy was pricked, Marion Jones says.
Ms Jones said her son received a needle-stick injury on Sunday after he accidentally fell into a bush as he was crossing the road on Baylis Street.
Her son was admitted to Wagga Base Hospital and is waiting to receive blood test results for HIV or hepatitis-related diseases.
"It's scary for a parent to go into town for lunch with their son to now have to deal with all this anxiety," Ms Jones said. "I cried when I saw my son's face in a blood test for hepatitis C and HIV."
Syringes, frequently disposed by drug addicts, pose a health risk for unsuspecting victims. Wagga City Council promotes 18 sharps drop-off points on its website across pharmacies, council facilities and a car park in Ashmont.
A council spokesman said there was limited information available showing the frequency of use for sharps drop-off points.
The spokesman encouraged people to contact council if any incorrectly disposed needle-sticks were found.
"We do encourage people to contact council if any are found so it can be removed of safely," he said. "We don't want people picking them up or third parties seeking to do it themselves."
Ms Jones believes sharps disposal bins should be placed next to regular garbage bins to reduce the risk of injury.
She said the options of needle-stick disposal were "impractical".
"The fact is: to deal with the problem they need to look at something a bit more realistic," she said. "There needs to be lockable needle bins next to street bins.
"It might not look very pretty but I'd rather that than have someone be pricked."
Earlier this year, about 1000 syringes and other medical waste was found dumped at Gissing Oval.
The syringes were found by a council employee in a public bin at the oval during regular rubbish removal operations at the venue.
Source: Daily Advertiser, Wagga
