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More medical waste found on LBI; beaches remain open
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LONG BEACH TOWNSHIP - More medical waste was found by beach clean-up crews Friday on Long Beach Island, a day after 16 syringes washed up.
However, all LBI beaches remain open. Friday's discoveries in Ship Bottom and Holgate came before the beaches opened for bathers.
Tim Hilferty, director of the Long Beach Island Health Department, said the recent wash-ups are due to a string of storms - along with improper trash dumping in New York and northern New Jersey.
"On Long Beach Island we don't have any storm drains that go into the ocean, but New York City has over 400 unprotected sewer outfalls," Hilferty said. "It's frustrating in this day and age we cannot find resources available to catch this material before it hits our waterways."
So beach patrol crews, police officers and public works officials walked 18 miles of Long Beach Island beaches Friday, same as they do every day, looking through the seaweed and mussels for something unexpected.
When the workers find something unexpected, Hilferty contacts the Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Health, as he did Thursday.
Hilferty said reports about waste washing ashore started coming in at about 11 a.m. from local beach patrols. He said there was home medical waste mixed in with other garbage and debris.
Health Department personnel canvassed affected beaches and spoke with beach operations personnel of all six communities.
Results of the canvass found that beaches throughout the island were affected by excess seagrass, tampons, wood debris, plastics, home-generated medical waste, organic and miscellaneous trash and debris. Sixteen syringes and one diabetic testing needle was found, he said.
Hilferty stressed that home medical waste is much different than regular medical waste from a hospital or doctor's office that can be traced. Home medical waste is not traceable, he said.
Surf City Police Chief William Collins was sitting in Borough Hall on Thursday afternoon with Borough Clerk Mary Madonna. Williams was holding a red biohazard bucket on his lap. He said police officers carry them in their cars and they placed items that were found on the beaches Thursday inside them and delivered them to the Health Department.
"I wouldn't say there was a lot (of medical waste), there was more than usual," Collins said.
By late Thursday afternoon, beaches were clear and none were closed, according to Hilferty.
"We're the victims, here. We have no storm drains on the island that go into the ocean. This stuff is coming from combined sewer overflows in New York and the northern part of the state," he said.
But some members of the public, who were not notified about the wash-up, said they felt like they were victims as well.
Heather Van Ness, a teacher from Mt. Laurel, Burlington County, said Thursday was her last hurrah before the start of the school year Tuesday.
"I had my feet in the water and didn't see anything, but I think they should tell the public as a precaution. They're quick enough to check to see if you have a beach badge," Van Ness said.
Patti Kraus, 57, of Ship Bottom, said the public should have absolutely been notified. She pointed to where a lifeguard was stationed on the beach. She said he never mentioned anything about it to her.
"Especially for people with small children in the water and if there's stuff out there," Kraus said.
The Smiths, of Manahawkin, were playing in the sand in Ship Bottom after the lifeguards left the beach. One-year-old Kealia crawled across the sand in blue jeans, squinting into the sun.
"I didn't know about it at all," Dawn Smith, 32, said of the wash-up. "I can tell you I don't feel too good about my daughter playing out here."
Josh Smith, Kealia's father, scooped her up from the beach as her mother snapped photographs.
"It's wrong and irresponsible not to tell the public. Especially when I have a 1-year-old crawling around on the beach. I'm really mad, and now I'll be watching," Dawn Smith said.
Thursday afternoon, Hilferty said publishing photos in the paper and focusing on the medical waste in the wash-up would be sensationalism.
"Are you going to write about the seaweed, and the plastics, and the wood?" he asked.
This is not the first time this summer that Long Beach Island has been affected by medical waste washing up. The weekend before the Fourth of July, medical debris and other garbage littered the beach in Barnegat Light. The public, however, was not notified until days after the initial wash-up when it was first reported by The Press. Twenty syringes washed ashore with other debris in a 4-foot wide, 8-mile slick, according to officials.
The state Department of Environmental Protection, state Department of Health and Senior Services, and Ocean County Health Department were all notified of the wash-up, Hilferty said.
Individuals who see waste washing up should contact the DEP at 1-877-WARN, or the Environmental Crimes Hotline at 609-571-5798.
E-mail Donna Weaver:
Posted in OCEAN | BREAKING on Friday, September 4, 2009 12:20 am Updated: 3:02 pm.
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