Assemblyman Charles D. Fall (D-Richmond) staff, community advocates and volunteers gathered on Sunday, March 22^nd in the area of Richmond Terrace and Jersey Street to conduct a community clean-up.

After starting the clean-up of waste and brush – left from the fall and winter – it was soon realized that there were well over a hundred used syringes in and around the clean-up area. Due to safety concerns, the Assemblyman suspended the clean-up yet took the next step to assure public safety and contacted NYPD, DSNY and NYCHA and cleared up as many syringes as possible using trash picker utensils sponsored by Home Depot.

DSNY and NYCHA are currently making a concerted effort to clean the remaining syringes to assure the safety of the public, especially the youth that may play in this area as the weather turns for the better.

“Naturally, finding out that used syringes were found in areas where I would have played hide and seek as a child is very concerning.I want to thank DSNY and NYCHA for being responsive to come up with a strategy to address this issue. Unfortunately, this only shows that we still have a long road ahead of us to curb the drug addiction in our area.I want to remind those suffering with addiction to please call 1-877-8-HOPENY of text 467369. We also want to encourage the public to call 311 if they encounter a hazardous waste.

I will certainly be in close contact with the agencies to assure all syringes are disposed and will keep this and other areas covered for continual inspections.” said Assemblyman Charles D. Fall