Successful ‘RAPID’ Drug Disposal Bin Use in Communities Provides Growth Initiative

Newry, Mourne and Down Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) continues to tackle drug related issues across the Newry, Mourne and Down area, and has now installed a total of eight RAPID (Remove All Prescription and Illegal Drugs) Bins across the district, with plans to install more.

Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down PCSP, Councillor Alan Lewis, has stated: “The RAPID Bin is an initiative which promotes and facilitates the removal of all types of prescription and illegal drugs from our local communities. Newry, Mourne and Down PCSP continues to work in partnership with the Public Health Agency, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Start 360 and ASCERT and is currently in the process of installing 14 additional RAPID Bins in new key locations which, when installed, will bring the total number of RAPID Bins to 22 in the district.

“The increase in availability of these Bins will continue to help combat the illegal use of drugs and prescription medication within our local communities. The overall aim of the RAPID initiative is to reduce risk at individual, family and community level in relation to drug use and availability. The RAPID bin reduces the level of drugs in our local communities by providing a means for people to dispose of prescription or illegal drugs safely and discreetly.”

Cllr Lewis added, “The RAPID bin initiative has already proved to be a great success in Killeavy and Rostrevor. A total of 1666 items have been disposed of in the RAPID bin at Mulkerns Eurospar, Killeavy between April and June 2021, and in the same period, 1858 items have been disposed of in the RAPID bin at Williamsons Nisa, Rostrevor. Among the drugs disposed of in these two discreetly placed bins so far were Pregabalin and Co-codamol tablets as well as large quantities of both Tramadol and Diazepam.

“These two RAPID bins at Killeavy and Rostrevor provide an opportunity to take unused medicines and illegal substances out of our homes, off our streets and away from our communities. This means by placing these bins across the Newry, Mourne and Down area, we have a real opportunity to reduce the availability of drugs and medicines that have the potential to be misused. For this reason, I would urge the community to make use of the eight RAPID Bins across our Council Area, and to continue to make use of the RAPID bins at Mulkerns Eurospar, Killeavy and Williamsons Nisa, Rostrevor.”

Should anyone have, or come across, unwanted or unused drugs (whether prescribed or illegal) you are encouraged to deposit them in one of the following RAPID Bins across the district safely and discreetly, enabling police to then dispose of items and ensure that they are out of ‘harm’s way’ for good:

• Ballymote Centre, Downpatrick
• Brennan’s Garage, Dundrum
• Hughes Complex, Camlough
• Mulkerns Euopsar, Killeavey Road, Newry
• Nautulis Centre, Kilkeel
• Newry Leisure Centre
• North Street Carpark, Newry
• Williamsons Nisa (beside Book Club), Rostrevor

For more information on the RAPID initiatives visit: www.drugsandalcoholni.info/rapid or email: PCSP@nmandd.org