The state of Washington is investigating We Heart Seattle, a private group of volunteers that cleans up used needles, drug paraphernalia, and trash left behind in homeless camps and public areas. Officials from the Department of Labor and Industries received a complaint claiming the volunteers are not handling the dangerous items safely and could be exposed to blood-borne diseases or other risks. Investigators have asked the group for its safety plans, training records, and details about hepatitis B shots for the workers. Group founder Andrea Suarez says her team already uses gloves, pickup tools, and special containers and is just filling gaps left by the government, while calling the probe an unfair attack on their efforts to keep streets and parks cleaner.
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