Three children riding bikes and scooters came across dozens of used medical needles scattered across East State Street in Long Beach on Sunday afternoon.
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A Nassau County hazardous material team removed the needles at about 3 p.m. after the children notified their parents about their finding on the dead-end street off Monroe Boulevard, near handball courts that abut the northbound lanes of the Long Beach Bridge, according to Newsday.
Parent Anna Arroyo-Hill said her children were riding their bikes when they discovered what she estimates were about 40 needles strewn in two sections along the street:
“It’s scary because it’s really close to our house … I’d say ten minutes into riding their bikes back here they noticed needles. The cops came right away and they closed off the area because of it.”
Long Beach Police Department is investigating.
“The syringes were all used and came out of a broken Sharps container, a receptacle used for collecting used syringes,” Lt. Eric Cregeen, a department spokesman, told Patch, noting that the Long Beach Fire Department assisted in the cleanup.
“At this time their origin is still unknown and the matter is still under investigation,” Creegen added. “Fortunately none of the kids in the area were hurt as a result.”
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