Hundreds of syringes found washed up on beaches along the Jersey Shore over the weekend have forced lifeguards to prevent families from going into the water.
Beach patrollers picked up dozens of needles on the sand of Monmouth Beach just on Sunday. They were spotted warning beachgoers that there was a high risk of stepping on the needles if they were to go into the water.
"I warned them so there's not much I can really do, you know?" said Danielle Britton with the Monmouth Beach Bathing Pavillion.
The syringes have been washing ashore from Sandy Hook to Long Branch after days of storms. It's due to the sewer systems in New York City and North Jersey bordering the New York Habor that release sewer during heaving rain.
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Based on past investigations, many of the needles were found are likely from diabetics flushing their used needles down the toilet.
"I had gloves on and I had a picker thing, so I didn't touch any of them," said another beach patroller Kathrine Gough. "But it was pretty weird because people were asking questions and we don't know what happened."
Workers at Seven Presidents Park just south of Monmouth Beach also tried to warn people to be careful after more than a hundred syringes were recovered. Though that proved to be difficult for families with children who were trying to beat the heat.
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"They're here with their surfboards, you see, and they want to go in," said New Jersey father Sandip Patel.
Meanwhile, all beach officials could do is continuously patrol below the high tide line in search of more needles. Closures are expected to continue until at least Monday because it's unclear how many more syringes are out there.
