When we last spoke to councils in 1998, they hardly kept records at all

Peter Gibson Keep Scotland Beautiful

But it says more still needs to be done to make the public aware of the dangers of picking up a needle.

According to the organisation, just under half of Scottish councils which responded to its questionnaire provided any information on what to do if a discarded needle was found.

They also failed to highlight the risk of catching HIV or hepatitis from drugs-related litter, despite 80% of councils having found needles.

Sixty-three per cent of Scotland's 32 councils responded to the organisation's survey.

'Confusion'

Of those, 75% guaranteed to remove them within a set time period, 42% of coastal councils reported finding a needle on the beach and three local authorities also found more than 50 needles on their land during the year 2000.

As well as needles, half of the councils found other drug-related rubbish such as swabs and glue bags.

Peter Gibson, of Keep Scotland Beautiful, told BBC Scotland that "disturbingly" about half of all coastal councils reported finding needles on the beach.

"On the positive side councils are getting a bit more of a grip on the drugs-litter problem in that they are now recording cases," Mr Gibson said.

Councils are keeping records of needles found

"When we last spoke to councils in 1998, they hardly kept records at all.

"It's going to be very hard for us to persuade someone who is a drug addict to actually change their behaviour.

"However, it was interesting to speak to those legitimate drugs users who inject themselves for medical reasons.

"There is still confusion there as to what they should be doing with their needles."

Mr Gibson said it was imperative that public awareness of the problem was improved in Scotland.

In the United States, Mr Gibson said, as many as 1,000 people per year were infected with HIV or hepatitis through picking up needles.

A similar situation would only be avoided in the UK through greater vigilance, he said.

The Scottish drugs litter survey was part of a UK-wide study into the problem.