RAPID Bin Success Continues Across Newry, Mourne and Down

Newry, Mourne and Down Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) has installed a further 10 RAPID Bins across the Council area, providing more opportunities for disposing of prescription or illegal drugs safely and discreetly.

RAPID (Remove All Prescription and Illegal Drugs) is an initiative which promotes and facilitates the removal of all types of prescription and illegal drugs from local communities. The initiative is supported by the Public Health Agency (PHA), and local partners including Start360 and Ascert. The Bins are emptied monthly by the PSNI and the contents safely disposed.

The RAPID Bin initiative has already proved to be a great success across the district, with over 55,000 items of unwanted prescription medication disposed of in local RAPID Bins over the last two years.

The 10 new RAPID Bins are being installed at the following locations:

Shimna Road Car Park, Newcastle
Irish Street Car Park, Downpatrick
Downpatrick Street Car Park, Saintfield
Windmill Street Car Park, Ballynahinch
Bridge Centre, Killyleagh
Newtownhamilton Community Centre, Newtownhamilton
Newry Street Car Park, Warrenpoint
Public Conveniences (Rear Wall), The Square, Crossmaglen
Dromara & Drumgooland Credit Union, Dublin Road, Castlewellan
Hilltown Pharmacy, Rathfriland Road, Hilltown

This brings the total number of RAPID Bins across the district to 18. Bins are also located in Newry (North St Car Park and Newry Leisure Centre), Camlough (Hughes NISA Complex), Kilkeel (Nautilus Centre), Rostrevor (Williamsons NISA), Killeavy (Mulkerns Eurospar), Downpatrick (Ballymote Centre) and Dundrum (Brennan’s Garage).

Further RAPID Bins will also be installed at locations in Newry, Mayobridge and Newcastle over the coming weeks.

Newry, Mourne and Down PCSP Chairperson, Cllr Alan Lewis, said, “These RAPID Bins across the district provide an opportunity to take unused medicines and illegal substances out of our homes, off our streets and away from our communities. By placing these bins across the Newry, Mourne and Down Council 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 RAPID Bins installed across our Council area and help us make our communities safer places to visit, live and work in."

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