Anne Sites, director of the state’s infectious disease prevention program, sat in front of Auburn councilors again Monday night and went over ways in which municipalities have implemented syringe waste solution plans to reduce the frequency of needles disposed of in public spaces.

At their Nov. 3 workshop, councilors asked questions about how to prevent needle waste in public spaces if the city were to adopt a safe syringe ordinance.

In September, councilors placed a six-month moratorium on new syringe exchange programs operating in the city until it can look into developing an ordinance; no such programs operate in the city.

To cut down on syringe litter, Portland implemented a pilot program modeled after programs in Boston and New York, Sites said. Using more than $936,000 in opioid settlement funds, the city implemented a three-part program.

The program educates people about proper syringe disposal and gives people 10 cents for every used syringe they return to the program, she said. The other two aspects of the program is a multipronged approach to syringe pickup operations and community conversations with clients.

Portland also increased the number of public works employees trained to pick up discarded syringes, increased the number of hours spent on syringe cleanup (giving extra focus to certain areas of the city), added new sharps containers and gave 3,000 portable sharps containers to people, she said.

Sites said city officials reported that staff collected 76% fewer discarded syringes in the six weeks following program implementation. Last month the program reported clients returned 82% of the syringes that were handed out in October, which is an increase compared to October of last year when only 66% were returned.

The city also has an online portal where people can report improperly disposed syringes they see in the community, along with instructions on the city website for safe disposal, she said.

Bangor partners with Wabanaki Public Health Wellness for syringe cleanup services, budgeting more than $66,000 for the initiative earlier this year, she said. The city also has a web portal where people can report syringes they see disposed of in public city spaces. Wabanaki Public Health also provides cleanup kits for people who find syringes disposed on their properties.

Paul Vinsel with Spurwink discussed the ways in which drugs impact the human brain and change the way the brain produces dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that creates the sensation of pleasure in the human brain.

Ernestine Perreault with Spurwink spoke about its syringe program in Lewiston. In addition to its syringe exchange, it also provides wound care, safe sex items, Narcan and other materials to help people take care of themselves and prevent the spread of diseases. The program also educates people and gives them resources on how to seek help for their addiction.

She also spoke about some of the success stories Spurwink has had in helping individuals get sober through the safe syringe program.

Auburn’s discussion of needle waste and disposal comes as Lewiston debates the same issue.

Lewiston councilors have struggled to work through a review of its ordinance stemming from concerns of discarded needles, with most debate centered around needle exchanges.

Amid the discussion, the Church of Safe Injection, which also ran a needle exchange program in Lewiston, lost its state license after its building, 195 Main St., was condemned after the city found biohazard risks, including unsecured sharps containers and fecal matter, in the building.

The city recently enacted a safe syringe ordinance stemming from concerns of discarded needles in city spaces.

At their next safe syringe workshop, Auburn councilors will start to discuss possible language for a safe syringe ordinance and what should be in those rules, Mayor Jeff Harmon said.