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Maryland Department of Emergency Management

MDEM Coordination Role in 2024 Beach Waste Incident

In an effort to clarify roles related to the medical waste incident in the Middle Atlantic region, the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) would like to emphasize that we are not leading an investigation into this incident. The Department lacks legal or statutory authority to perform investigations, nor are we equipped with the tools to conduct such an investigation.

Our Department is leading the coordination of State, local and federal agencies responding to the incident. We have been hosting daily coordination calls since the incident began over the weekend, as well as facilitating interstate communication between partners from neighboring Delaware and Virginia. While there is not a single lead response agency, Emergency Management from Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia are in close coordination. 

  • Because the debris has washed ashore over three states, agencies focused first on safety and clean up, and are still working to determine the best course of action as waste is collected and beaches open.
  • State, local and federal agencies which have ownership of the waterfront beaches have been asked to secure any collected medical waste.
  • In Maryland, Ocean City, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the United States National Park Service will continue to collect debris from the coastal areas they are responsible for, and will make decisions related to the reopening of the beaches for recreation and fishing. This is similar to the processes in Delaware and Virginia. These agencies are sharing media inquiries when appropriate to send questions to the correct subject matter expert.
  • This is an ongoing incident and we ask residents and visitors to the seaside areas to follow directions and advice from those responsible for the beaches you wish to visit for information about reopening.

We thank all of the State, local, and federal partners on the Delmarva Peninsula for their collaboration in responding to this incident and we also thank residents and visitors for their patience and cooperation.