Do 40% of needles distributed in Portland end up on the streets? | Fact brief

There is no evidence that 40% of syringes distributed by Portland end up on city streets.

That claim may stem from a misreading of Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention data. A CDC report said that in the 12-month period ending Oct. 31, 2024, Portland Public Health distributed 952,411 syringes and disposed 577,517, or about 61%. That left 39% not disposed of by the program, but the report does not say all those syringes were discarded on the streets.

Related Portland distributed — and collected — more needles than ever in 2025

More recent data shows higher collection rates. Portland’s 2025 Health and Human Services annual report says the city achieved an 86% syringe return rate. The rate increased 22% from the previous year, it said.

Maine CDC’s latest report, which covers the 12-month period ending Oct. 31, 2025, lists 1.1 million syringes distributed by Portland Public Health and 877,596 disposed of, a rate of about 79%.