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Public injecting sites and drug related litter: formal responses and informal practice in Plymouth
Stephen Parkin, PhD Candidate, University of Plymouth

Abstract
This presentation addresses the related issues of public injecting and drug-related litter in community/public settings. More specifically it describes the formal responses by a local authority
(municipal council) to the management of drug related litter that include reactive and proactive strategies. A summary of these strategies is presented using qualitative and quantitative data. These formal strategies are further situated alongside the informal practice observed and noted in public injecting sites with a sample of injecting drug users in relation to the discarding of injecting equipment. Visual data (photographs) are used to support the view that an informal, street-based harm reduction may take place within public injecting sites that seeks to minimise risk of blood borne infection to other drug users attending such settings. This aspect of the presentation also includes drug user views of the various attempts at litter control employed by the local authority in question.

This paper is based on data collected during doctoral research located in the south west of England in which the focus of study is the effects of place on health; with specific reference to injecting drug use in public and semi-public settings. The study focuses upon the experiences of 31 injecting drug users, with recent experience (in the last month) of public injecting (in settings such as toilets, car parks, parkland, abandoned buildings, stairwells etc).

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Biography
Stephen Parkin is a PhD Candidate at the University of Plymouth. He commenced his doctoral research in October 2006 for a study concerning the effects of place on health risk; with specific reference to injecting drug use in public and semi-public settings. The aims of this research were to identify the way in which 'place' impacts upon risk behaviour located within settings such as toilets, car parks and other public spaces. Stephen expects to submit his thesis for examination in September 2009.