According to the criteria of
The areas closed for medical waste were:
- Maryland: Ocean City and Assateague Island National Seashore’s beaches
- Delaware: Indian River Inlet and Fenwick Island
- Virginia: Chincoteague Island and Assateague Island National Seashore’s beaches
According to the authorities, The debris spread over a radius of 96 kilometers and continued to appear in the following days. At the moment, there are restrictions and they are not expected to reopen anytime soon. However, those in Maryland have begun to partially reopen.
Authorities asked beach visitors to respect two simple rules: Avoid walking barefoot on the shore and do not go into the waterSome visitors reported seeing lots of different colored plastics and needle caps while walking along the beaches.
We have raised our State Activation Level to Partial this afternoon in support of an incident involving waste washing up at regional beaches. We are working closely with Federal, State, and Local partners, as well as with officials from other affected States. pic.twitter.com/7tA4E7Ys88
— Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) (@MDMEMA) September 16, 2024
Where does the medical waste that washed up on US beaches come from?
The origin of these Medical waste that appeared on the east coast of the country continues to be investigated by authoritiesIn fact, Assateague National Park Superintendent Hugh Hawthorne explained in a conversation with WBOCwho are still looking for those responsible to determine the origin.
“We are working closely with federal, state and local partners, as well as officials from other affected states,” he explained. He detailed what the waste is: “Mainly diabetic insulin needles and many feminine hygiene products.”
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