Saskatoon fire officials say they have been busy picking up discarded syringes as the spring melt exposes needles discarded over the winter.

The so-called sharps are associated with illicit drug use and have become a concern in cities, especially when found in parks where children play.

On Friday, the Saskatoon Fire and Protective Services Department reported that they had picked up 158 needles in the last two days.

"With the snow melting, there are fresh ones and also ones that have been covered up by snow for a period of time," Jim Wood, a battalion chief for the fire department, told CBC News. "We certainly get a few more calls at this time of year. But it never really stops."

According to the department, a total of 25,000 sharps were picked up by crews in 2008.

Wood said the department is planning a "Sharps Walk Day" for later in April, to scour areas frequented by children, such as parks, to retrieve needles. The goal is to get the items even before a call comes in.

"In the interests of safety, make sure that children understand that they shouldn't touch them," Wood said. "If children do see sharps, they should notify a parent or an adult and if the sharps are in a public place, they can contact us and we will come and pick it up."

While the syringes are dangerous, a recent report about a provincial needle-exchange program noted that there were no reported incidents of a member of the public being injured by a discarded syringe.

The report, however, did urge for an improved strategy to retrieve used needles.