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Delaware

Medical waste washes ashore in Maryland, Virginia and Delaware

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Medical waste washes ashore in Maryland, Virginia and Delaware


Officials warned people to stay out of the ocean at several beaches in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia after they said medical waste, including hypodermic needles, washed ashore. The source of the waste was under investigation.

Officials banned swimming, wading and surfing at Assateague State Park Sunday morning after Maryland Park Service rangers found several needles and needle caps, feminine hygiene products and cigar tips along the beach, Maryland Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Gregg Bortz said in an email.

A few more needles were found Monday and the ban on swimming in the ocean continued at the park, he said.

There have been no reports of injuries or people encountering these items while swimming, Bortz said. The department was working with other local, state, and federal agencies to determine when it’s safe for people to enter the water.

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All of Assateague Island National Seashore’s ocean-facing beaches in Maryland and Virginia were closed to swimming and wading.

Maryland’s Department of Emergency Management raised its state activation level to “partial” in support of the incident.

In Ocean City, Maryland, the beach patrol temporarily banned swimming Sunday after discovering medical waste on town beaches. Emergency Services Director Joe Theobald stressed in a statement that the situation was serious and said town officials were working with the Worcester County Health Department to investigate the source.

“Until we are confident that the situation is under control, we recommend wearing shoes on the beach and avoiding the ocean entirely,” he said.

On Monday afternoon, Theobald said the amount of debris had “significantly decreased.” The town was continuing to monitor the situation, particularly as the next high tide cycles approached Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

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Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control advised beachgoers to leave the beaches from the Indian River inlet to Fenwick Island Sunday afternoon and to refrain from swimming after reports of waste washing ashore on nearby Maryland beaches, the agency said in a statement. The department confirmed only minimal waste on Delaware beaches, including plastic caps and a single needle found near Dewey Beach.

“Despite the low level of waste observed, DNREC is taking the situation seriously and advising caution,” the agency said in a statement. The department maintains Delaware’s two state park beaches, but decisions about municipal beaches are up to town officials.

Delaware’s Dewey Beach temporarily barred swimming in the ocean Sunday. In an update Monday, the town said it was continuing to address the issue. Fenwick Island officials closed the beach for swimming Sunday and said in a statement that beaches would be inspected again late Monday and on Tuesday morning before a decision would be made on reopening.

— The Associated Press

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Delaware

Delaware beaches close due to medical waste on shore

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Delaware beaches close due to medical waste on shore


Residents in Delaware were warned to avoid swimming — and several beaches were closed — after medical waste began washing up on the shoreline over the weekend.

On Sunday, at about 4:30 p.m., Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control took to social media to warn beachgoers that they had been fielding reports of medical waste washing ashore from “Indian River Inlet to Fenwick Island.”

“For your safety, we advise visitors leave the beach and refrain from swimming at this time,” officials said in an online statement.

Also on Sunday, the Town of Dewey Beach closed the ocean there for swimming due to the medical waste that was washing ashore.

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In a statement on the medical waste, the National Park Service said it had responded as “needles and “syringes and needles” were found washing up along shorelines at Assateague Island and nearby beaches.

All oceanside beaches in Assateague Island National Park were closed to swimming on Sunday, due to medical waste.

Officials have said they do not know where the medical waste originated from and, the National Park Service was unsure how long concerns over the medical waste would last.

Health officials are investigating this issue, park service officials said.

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Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Beaches Forced to Close Due to Medical Waste Washing Ashore

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Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Beaches Forced to Close Due to Medical Waste Washing Ashore


Assateague State Park, along with other beaches along the Maryland coast, is experiencing a significant amount of medical waste washing onshore. Access to the ocean will be restricted at this time. No swimming, wading, surfing, or any activities in the ocean are permitted. Visitors to the beach should wear shoes and use an abundance of caution.

UPDATED CLOSURES:

The Chincoteague Public Beach in the Virginia unit has been added to the Closure List. All Ocean Facing Beaches at Assateague Island National Seashore are now closed to swimming or wading due to medical waste coming ashore.

A rundown of current closures:

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  1. North end (all of the island North of Assateague State Park) is closed to all visitor access
  2. Assateague Island State Park Beach is closed to swimming and wading
  3. All Oceanside Beaches in Assateague Island National Park are closed to swimming and wading. (This is includes North Beach, Oceanside Camping Beach, South Beach, the beach on the Oversand Vehicle Area and the Chincoteague Beach.
  4. All Campgrounds, trails, boardwalks, visitor centers, etc. remain open. Bayside remains open for kayaks, canoes and other water activities (at least for now).

Answers to some FAQs:

  1. 1) The debris is trash with a large component of medical waste, which includes syringes and needles.
  2. We believe it started to come ashore this morning, so those who were in the water on earlier days should have nothing to worry about.
  3. We currently have no idea where it came from and will not be speculating about a source. Health authorities will be investigating.
  4. We do not know how long the closures will be in effect. We do not know how much more material is out there, when it will stop coming ashore, and how long it will take for cleanup.
  5. For those offering to help, Thank You-at this point we do not know what help would be necessary, but will keep the public advised.
  6. This is part of a larger area problem-with closure from Fenwick Island to Chincoteague.

Thank you for your patience-Updates will continue as things change or we get more information.










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