Slaughter, Broadkill beaches seeking volunteers to pick up trash Oct. 1

SUSSEX COUNTY (Sept. 29, 2011) – The Delaware Bay communities of Broadkill and Slaughter beaches are seeking volunteers to join a beach cleanup effort starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1. DNREC has partnered with the communities to support their cleanup efforts after the central bay beaches were hit by an unprecedented wave of trash that washed up since last weekend.

The beaches have been beset by large clumps of seaweed and twigs tangled with a variety of plastic trash and debris. Some medical waste including syringes has been found, and may be mixed in with the seaweed and debris, so DNREC is advising caution to anyone picking up trash.

“We don’t know exactly what might be inside these seaweed clumps, so we encourage using rakes, not bare or gloved hands, to break up the clumps and check for any potentially hazardous items. If a syringe or other item is found, volunteers should mark the spot and report findings so we can respond and pick up these items,” said Jamie Bethard of the DNREC Emergency Response Team.

The influx of trash is believed to be from upstream states which suffered flood damage from Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee and other storm events.

Volunteers should be adults (18 and over) only. Volunteers should wear sturdy, closed shoes (no bare feet or flip-flops) and dress for the weather. DNREC will be providing gloves and trash bags, as well as on-site support. Volunteers who would like to work on separating trash from the seaweed are encouraged to bring rakes and tools. Volunteers also will be needed to pick up loose trash items.

Important Contact Information:

To report potentially hazardous items to DNREC’s 24-hour toll-free emergency response line, please call 1-800-662-8802.

For more information on cleanup efforts, or to report debris problems, please call Jack Hoban, DNREC Public Affairs, at 302-739-9278.

To volunteer or for specific beach information, please contact:
Broadkill Beach: Jim Bailey, 302-684-4013
Prime Hook Beach: John Robinson, 410-375-5253
Slaughter Beach: Bill McSpadden, 302-422-5588

Vol. 41, No. 375