PLEASE NOTE: This article is over 1 year old and may not contain the most up-to-date information.

Rapid Drugs Disposal Bin Relocated in Lisburn

September 21, 2018

An initiative known as RAPID (Remove All Prescription and Illegal Drugs), which is helping to remove prescription and illegal drugs from our streets by providing drug disposal bins, has been relocated from the reception area of Laganview Enterprise Centre. This facility has now been moved a short distance and is now located outside the Resurgam Healthy Living Centre, Drumbeg Drive, Lisburn and is available 24/7.

This bin in Lisburn will bring the total number of bins in Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area to four drugs disposal bins which are located outside Glenavy Youth Club, Rowan Drive, Seymourhill and the Spar Shop, Upper Newtownards Road, Dundonald.

RAPID was initially piloted in 2010 but due to the success of this initiative further bins have been installed throughout Northern Ireland in partnership with key statutory, community and voluntary groups. Since 2010, over 100,000 items have been deposited in RAPID bins. Ninety per cent of the drugs handed in are prescription or over the counter medicines but illegal drugs have also been deposited.

Lisburn & Castlereagh Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) and PSNI have been working closely with the Public Health Agency (PHA) and local South Eastern Drug and Alcohol Coordination Team (SEDACT) to identify and work with communities and businesses within their catchment areas to benefit from taking part in the initiative and having a RAPID drug disposal bin installed.  

Speaking about this ongoing initiative, Lisburn and Castlereagh PCSP Chairman, Councillor Brian Hanvey said, “I welcome this latest development of the relocation of the bin which was initiated by the local community. We are all aware of the dangers of illegal drugs and the effects that these have in communities but prescribed drugs can equally be as dangerous in the wrong hands or if taken with other substances. I would urge the community to make use of this facility outside Resurgan Healthy Living Centre. This initiative is designed to dispose of prescribed and illegal drugs safely.”

The PSNI District Commander for Lisburn and Castlereagh Superintendent David Beck said, “These drugs disposal bins provide an effective way for drugs and harmful substances to be removed from our community.  Anyone, whether they be parents, grandparents, siblings or family members, can dispose of items which they believe have the potential to cause harm.  By working together, we are giving a clear indication that we do not want drugs on our streets.  This initiative provides a real opportunity to reduce the availability of drugs and criminal activity often associated with drug use.”

Resurgam Trust Director, Adrian Bird said, “This bin provides an opportunity to take unused medicines and illegal substances out of our homes, off our streets and from our communities.  This is important to reduce the access to and potential misuse of drugs in our communities which will help to keep people and communities safe.  Prescription medication should only be used by the person it is prescribed for and used how it is prescribed therefore we would encourage anyone to clear out of their homes any medicines they are not using and safely dispose of them confidentially in the bin in its new more accessible home at the front of the Resurgam Healthy Living Centre.”

Danny Sinclair, Senior Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Officer at the PHA, said, “Alcohol and drug misuse is a common issue and sadly causes suffering and tragedy to individuals, families and communities.

“This is a simple but powerful health intervention and we very much welcome the relocation of the RAPID bin in Lisburn. All of the partners are keen that the RAPID initiative is further developed and expanded over coming years with further bins installed, enabling more people and communities to learn more about the risks and dangers of drugs misuse and to dispose of unwanted drugs easily and discreetly.”

RAPID has three aims:

  • Removal of prescription, illegal and new psychoactive substances 
  • Provision of information and support to individuals, families, local businesses and community organisations to raise awareness of the effects and risks of using/misusing illegal and/or prescription drugs. 
  • Bringing together community and statutory agencies, local businesses and the general public under the RAPID initiative to work towards making their local community a safer place to live. 

Pamela Quiery, key worker for the South Eastern DACT Connections Service said, “RAPID bins are a great way to raise awareness about the problems related to unused medication, and form part of an overall strategy to help tackle one of Northern Ireland’s biggest, but not often highlighted, drug issues. As well as over-use, we have high levels of medication not being used in the way prescribed and RAPID is one element among many in the Connections service community based strategy to address this.”

For more information on existing RAPID bins and/or how to contact your local Drug and Alcohol Coordination Team (DACT) and/or Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) to express an interest visit www.drugsandalcoholni.info/RAPID  
 

Previous Next