Medical Waste Washing Ashore In Three States Sparks Concern

Medical waste, including hypodermic needles, has washed ashore on several beaches in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia, prompting officials to ban swimming in the affected areas.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Gregg Bortz told the Associated Press (AP) over email that swimming, wading and surfing had been banned at Assateague State Park on Sunday after Maryland Park Service rangers found needles, colored needle caps, feminine hygiene products and cigar tips along the park’s beach. That warning was extended through Monday after additional needles were spotted.
All beaches along Assateague Island National Seashore, which extends between Maryland and Virginia, were also closed to swimming and wading on Monday. Angela Baldwin, park manager at Assateague State Park, told The Washington Post that the rangers who discovered the medical waste Sunday morning collected about 50 needles as well as enough material to fill a 5-gallon bucket.
“We currently have no idea where it came from and will not be speculating about a source,” the National Park Service office at Assateague Island National Seashore said in a statement on its Facebook page Sunday.
The statement added that officials “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.”
Medical waste was also reported on Sunday in Ocean City, Maryland, per AP’s report. The city’s emergency services director, Joe Theobald, said in a statement that “until we are confident that the situation is under control, we recommend wearing shoes on the beach and avoiding the ocean entirely.”
Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) said in a statement on its Facebook page Sunday that there were reports of medical waste washing ashore between Indian River Inlet to Fenwick Island, which borders Maryland. In an update Monday, the DNREC said that it has confirmed “only minimal waste on Delaware beaches, but we are taking the situation seriously and advising caution.” Anyone who discovers medical waste on Delaware beaches is encouraged to call the state’s environmental hotline at 800-662-8802.
In total, the closures stretch nearly 50 miles along the East Coast among all three states. Officials are investigating the potential source of the waste.
Newsweek reached out to health officials in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia for further information on Monday.
Update 09/16/24, 11:09 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and background.