KYW Newsradio Team Coverage
by KYW's Al Novack, John McDevitt, and David Madden

Just as South Jersey shore towns gear up for the always-busy Labor Day weekend, bathing at more beaches is being prohibited after more medical waste was found in the sand.

Kevin Thomas (right) of the Cape May County Health Department says the water at Ocean City, NJ beaches between 30th and 56th Street was closed to bathers after some more hypodermic needles were found in that area (see previous story).  Later on Friday, the water north of 35th Street was reopened but beaches between 35th and 56th Streets were declared off-limits through at least Saturday.

In Strathmere, NJ, the 22nd Street beach was closed after one syringe was found.

In Sea Isle City, a needle was found on the First Street beach.

And in Avalon, NJ, all beaches were from 9th Street to 80th Street were closed for a time after six additional needles were found (see previous story).  On Friday afternoon, beaches south of 31st Street (32nd to 80th) were reopened but those between 9th and 31st Streets remained closed through at least Saturday.
 
Thomas says that because the medical waste washed up on shore from the ocean, beachgoers are being allowed to sit and play in the soft sand above the high-water line -- but as of Friday morning, the water at the affected beaches was off limits.

Thomas says officials were still trying to determine where all this medical waste is coming from.  He says a criminal investigation has widened to include the state's Department of Environmental Protection, New Jersey state police, the US Coast Guard, and the New Jersey state attorney general's office. Officials were also asking the regional US attorney to investigate whether the debris had been dumped in federal waters.

A $10,000 reward was being offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for dumping the waste.