PEOPLE with diabetes fear that leaving their used needles by the pavement for collection could lead to children being hurt.

Residents are outraged over a new council policy which means they have to put sharps boxes next to their rubbish bins for collection.

Until recently, boxes of needles, syringes and lancets, used by people with a range of medical conditions, were collected from doorsteps in Mid Sussex.

There are concerns the changes could be dangerous because the bins can contain needles used for blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis B and C or HIV.

While the Health and Safety Executive recommends sharps boxes are not left anywhere where children can gain access to them.

The Argus: Don Rosewell is campaigning for the new sharps box collection policy to be revoked across Mid Sussex.

Don Rosewell, who has diabetes, said: "These boxes contain my dirty needles, why would anyone think it was a good idea to leave them out on the street?

"It is dangerous and it is reckless. I do not know what on earth they are thinking. It is a terrible accident waiting to happen.

"One of the main things is that children could be out playing and see this bright coloured box and want to know what's inside."

The 64-year-old wheelchair user, who lives in Burgess Hill, has had a sharps bin for around 20 years.

He was first informed of the new policy when he phoned the collection company, Serco, on September 8 to arrange his usual removal and replacement.

Don, who was previously a director of an events company, fears the change could be breaching the Human Rights Act by impinging people's privacy and dignity.

The Argus: Don Rosewell is campaigning for the new sharps box collection policy to be revoked across Mid Sussex.

He said: "By putting out a sharps box at the end of a drive way you are being forced to announce to the world 'there's something wrong with me'.

"You can just imagine how humiliating that might be for some people."

A number of Mid Sussex residents have spoken out on social media calling the new policy "appalling" and "disgraceful".

The Argus has been told that, out of around 2,500 people who use the service, four have made complaints.

Mims Davies, Conservative MP for Mid Sussex, said it was “vital collections are safe” and that she had raised Don’s concerns with the council.

He has since received a letter saying that he can place his box where he usually does due to his disability.

The Argus: Don Rosewell is campaigning for the new sharps box collection policy to be revoked across Mid Sussex.

Councillor John Belsey, cabinet member for environmental and service delivery said: "With regard to collecting clinical waste we want to ensure that collections are consistent and efficient, and therefore ask customers to leave clinical waste where their bins are usually collected.

"However, where customers are physically unable to leave waste in this location we can arrange for an assisted collection, where we will remove the waste from an agreed location within their property for them."

Have you got a story for us? Email news@theargus.co.uk or contact us here.

Follow us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news.

Sign up to our newsletter to get updates sent straight to your inbox.

You can also call us on 01273 021 400.