DELAWARE- For the past week, beaches along Delmarva have been dealing with medical waste washing ashore. In response to the hazardous waste, DNREC issued a recreational water advisory for Delaware coastal beaches. DNREC also said emergency response teams are monitoring beaches along the coastline.
According to the agency, the advisory expires on September 23 at 12 p.m. DNREC asks that if you observe any medical waste on Delaware state park beaches, to contact DNREC’s environmental hotline at (800) 662-8802. If medical waste is found on non-state park beaches, contact the appropriate municipality with the information.
While the beaches have been cleaned up, beachgoers, like Erin Allmon, are still weary.
"If I have medical waste showing up on my beach where I live, where I come to spend my time to relax on my days off, I want to be able to put my feet in the water. Today, I'm not sure I'm putting my feet in the water. What's out there? We only saw surely a bit of what is actually going on out there unfortunately, I think."
Joanne Baldridge, another local, wants some sort of closure to the case.
"I definitely would have concerns about going into the water, and when you look at it right now, there is no one in the water. We are all looking for answers and very concerned and hoping that a resolution would come out of this problem."
DNREC has not made any further comment on the state of the investigation and where the medical waste may have come from.
