A diabetic is worried that drug addicts will use his old needles if he is forced to throw them out with his rubbish.

Maldon District Council has taken away George Barker's syringes for years as part of its special clinical waste collection.

But now it is stopping the service and telling him to dispose of them in old bleach bottles.

Mr Barker, of Maypole Road in Wickham Bishops, stores his old needles in a special clinical waste bin which is collected every month.

But the council has made the move after carrying out a survey and discovering that much of the "clinical waste" it collects is not dangerous.

Trudie Bragg, head of environment services, said: "We are being more discerning about what we actually collect. If it is not actually clinical waste then it can be disposed of in general domestic rubbish.

"We are just following national guidelines."

If diabetics are healthy in all other respects and their needles pose no threat of infection, then they are now being told to put them in a sturdy plastic bottle with a screw top and put them out with the rubbish.

But Mr Barker said: "I think this is very dangerous. Drug addicts will use the needles again if they find them. Some people are also not very responsible and will not dispose of them properly."

Published Thursday, March 7, 2002