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Halifax — Dozens of syringes and small vials have washed ashore on Crystal Crescent Beach, raising safety concerns among visitors and local officials.
Jeff Sutherland and his partner, Sarah, made the discovery earlier this week. “Sarah noticed something in the sand,” he said. “We picked it up, and it was a syringe. It had a cap, but it was definitely a needle.”
The couple found about two dozen syringes and several vials labeled as testosterone. “It looked as if they had washed ashore,” Sutherland said. “I walked along the beach picking them up, and more kept coming in with the waves.”
He believes the debris came from offshore. “There was a lot of wave activity, so it didn’t seem like someone just left them there,” he added.
The couple reported the discovery to the Department of Natural Resources, which sent a team to investigate. Officials said no additional syringes were found during their visit.
However, when CTV News arrived later that day, two more Halifax beach syringes were discovered — one in plain sight and another half-buried, pointing upward.
Halifax Atlantic MLA Brendan Maguire condemned the incident. “I can’t believe someone would dump hazardous materials into the ocean,” he said. “If this was done purposely, it’s disgusting.”
Maguire has contacted the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Coast Guard to investigate. “We’ll keep monitoring and cleaning up,” he said. “Hopefully, the feds will step in to check the waters and remove any remaining debris.”
Authorities say if the source of the syringes can be traced, it could become a criminal matter for the RCMP.
