A popular New Jersey beach was closed to swimmers after dozens of syringes washed up on the shore.
The waters off Manasquan were off-limits on Saturday after a beachgoer found five needles, prompting a sweep of the beach, News 12 reported, citing the town’s Mayor Mike Managan.
A total of 60 syringes were found during the search and Monmouth County health officials were notified.
Swimmers were allowed back in the water Sunday morning, but some beachgoers reported finding further needle plungers and drug paraphernalia, sparking concerns it was reopened too soon.
“One beach cleanup is definitely not enough to say something is safe,” local Priscilla Mahajan told News 12, after finding the syringes on Sunday.
“We can’t change what’s in the ocean or what people have done in the past, but we can change our reaction to it,” she added.
The syringes likely washed ashore after last week’s heavy rain triggered sewer overflows that carried debris onto the beach, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).
Much of what washed up was household waste, including insulin syringes commonly used by diabetics at home, according to officials.
Authorities reopened the water after reevaluating the area following two high-tide cycles, according to a Facebook post from the Manasquan Office of Emergency Management.
Officials urged the public to report any environmental emergencies, chemical spills, illegal dumping, odor complaints, and wildlife concerns to Manasquan Police at 732-223-1000 and NJDEP at 1-877-WARN-DEP.
