UPDATED: DNREC Investigating Medical Waste Washing Up on DE Beaches; Additional & Extended Closures at DE Beaches
September 16, 2024/
UPDATED – 12:40pm – After surveying the beach this morning, the City of Rehoboth Beach has found two exposed syringes, that is syringes with hypodermic needles, along the beach. One was found north of Queen Street and the other near Pennsylvania Avenue. Several pieces of pill bottles and caps to medicine bottles also were found.
Beach visitors are advised to wear closed-toe shoes on the beach.
And Bethany Beach officials have now also closed the ocean and beaches:
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Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control began advising beachgoers to leave the beaches from the Indian River inlet to Fenwick Island Sunday afternoon into evening and to refrain from swimming in the ocean after reports of medical waste, including hypodermic needles, was found on nearby Maryland beaches. Similar waste was first reported in Ocean City and Assateague Island on Sunday.
Maryland officials have since closed multiple beaches in response to the waste, prompting DNREC’s Emergency Response Team and Delaware Natural Resources Police to immediately evaluate Delaware’s coastline. With waste having been discovered on Delaware beaches, DNREC is urging caution for visitors to the coast.
The source of the medical waste is still under investigation, and DNREC continues to monitor the situation closely. Anyone observing what they suspect to be medical waste on Delaware beaches is urged to report it immediately by calling DNREC’s environmental hotline at 800-662-8802.
Medical waste has also washed up on the beach in Ocean City and Assateague State Park as well as in Virginia at Assateague Island National Seashore to Chincoteague. Click here for more information on the Maryland & Virginia response.
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UPDATE – 09/16/24 –
From Dewey Beach:
Fenwick Island is continuing its closure –
ALERT—our beaches will remain CLOSED today due to medical waste washing onto shore, including syringes. Our Public Works inspected the beach this morning and will inspect again this afternoon and tomorrow morning before the Town makes a decision about reopening the beaches tomorrow.
We have also called DNREC to seek their guidance and they advised that the Town should make the decision regarding appropriate closures.
Please be patient. We want everyone to be as safe as possible when visiting and using the beach.
