Medical waste causes multiple beach closures along Assateague Island

CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. (WAVY) — Several beaches along Assateague Island are closed to due to medical waste washing ashore, according to the Assateague Island National Seashore.

The list of beach closures can be found below:

• North end (all of the island north of Assateague State Park): Closed to visitor access
• Assateague Island State Park Beach : Closed to swimming and wading
• All Oceanside Beaches in Assateague Island National Park , including North Beach, Oceanside Camping Beach, South Beach, the beach on the Oversand Vehicle Area and the Chincoteague Beach : Closed to swimming and wading

According to a Facebook post on Sept. 16 , all campgrounds, trails, boardwalks and visitor centers will remain open for kayaks, canoes and other water activities.

The Assateague Island National Seashore also released a statement, answering frequently asked questions about the closure, which can be found below:

1. The debris is trash with a large component of medical waste, which includes syringes and needles.
2. We believe it started to come ashore [Sunday morning], so those who were in the water on earlier days should have nothing to worry about.
3. We currently have no idea where it came from and will not be speculating about a source. Health authorities will be investigating.
4. We 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.
5. For those offering to help, Thank You – at this point, we do not know what help would be necessary, but will keep the public advised.
6. This is part of a larger area problem – with closure from Fenwick Island to Chincoteague.

Visitors are strongly urged to keep their shoes on while on the beaches to avoid any possible health risks.

Beaches will remain closed until further notice as cleanup efforts continue.

Continue to check WAVY.com for updates .

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