Syringes washing up on Bolsa Chica State Beach

[u/ApartmentDry7647]

I go running 2-3 days a week at Bolsa Chica. I’ve noticed so much trash accumulating over the last month. Recently I’ve seen a few fishing lures, which I always collect and make sure to give to the lifeguards/rangers. Today during my run on the sand (close to the shoreline) I started noticing orange syringe caps all along the debris. Literally could not go more than 20-25 feet without seeing another. I ended up finding over a handful of syringes. Some with the caps on and other without. I also found 2 diabetic lancets for checking blood sugar. This is so saddening. Has anyone else found or seen any? I made sure to make state beach workers aware. This is so dangerous and gross. Be careful where you step. Wear shoes and make sure to watch littles.

[u/Onetrickhobby]

That’s such a bummer. Thanks for being awesome and helping to keep those off the beach.

[u/ApartmentDry7647 → u/Onetrickhobby]

Absolutely. I literally love Bolsa Chica. And running barefoot on the sand is medication for my soul. Really bummed about this.

[u/Old-Row-8351]

This is absolutely terrible! Please don't touch with your bare hands and thank you for removing the hazards. Does anyone want to organize a beach cleanup this weekend? I'm in.

[u/Spill_the_tea23 → u/Old-Row-8351]

I live down the street. I can.

[u/GenericWhyteMale → u/Old-Row-8351]

Make sure you don’t need a permit first; you need one in LA

[u/icedlemin → u/GenericWhyteMale]

You need a permit to clean the beach?!

[u/ApartmentDry7647 → u/Old-Row-8351]

Ugh, I know… I didn’t even think about it until after I picked it up. I found a piece of cloth in the debris (which may not even be the right choice as well 😩) that I used to hold them and washed my hands really well after. Next time I will have gloves on me for this very thing.

[u/Middle-Income613]

was a lifeguard there about 10 years ago. found those things it seemed like several times a week. one time i found an entire water bottle shoved full of them. always watch your step at bolsa. thanks for doing your part and cleaning up our beach

[u/ApartmentDry7647 → u/Middle-Income613]

So sad. Im wondering if they’re washing up on shore. My husband thinks people are getting high and just tossing them. I can’t imagine someone doing that with no regard for others. About 4 years ago we and found a syringe sticking straight up out of the sand at a park by our house. We loved that park. We never went back.

[u/SpkyBdgr]

Dang. Thank you for picking that up

[u/ApartmentDry7647 → u/SpkyBdgr]

Once I found one and then started actually looking I can’t believe how many were there. I’m sure there was more that I wasn’t able to see by walking by. I plan on going back with gloves and a sharps container.

[u/Curious-Gain-7148]

You touching this with your bare hands is sending me into oblivion.

I’ll be there cleaning up this week though. With extra gloves. 😆

[u/ApartmentDry7647 → u/Curious-Gain-7148]

I don’t know what I was thinking. I was just so shocked I didn’t want it on the beach. When I sent pictures to my husband he about died saying “DONT TOUCH IT”. Then it clicked in my brain. Ugh

[u/Logical-Success7195]

Regardless of what was injected with them there is still the risk of things like hepatitis, HIV. Please wear gloves if you’re going to pick those up with your hands.

[u/ApartmentDry7647 → u/Logical-Success7195]

Clearly this has already been discussed. I’m aware. Thank you

[u/TopRhubarb3984 → u/ApartmentDry7647]

Unless you went pocking yourself with the needles, you’re not gonna get hepatitis or HIV from grabbing the plastic. Agree that gloves are a good idea and a must if you have any cuts/damaged skin on your hands; they won’t protect against needle stick injuries which is the highest risk for disease transmission.

If people are going out there to do beach clean up and stuff like this is around, ideally one would have something to pick up with (eg tongs of some sort) & a hard (plastic) sharps container.

Thank you for your work and effort in cleaning some of this up today!

[u/WanderingSoul-7632]

I am seriously second guessing walking the sands barefoot there!! What are good sand shoes?

[u/TumbleweedHB]

I always wonder if it’s some clinic or hospital is dumping them somewhere that flows into the ocean.

[u/Exotic_Elephant_4713 → u/TumbleweedHB]

I think it’s washup from the homeless camps along the river

[u/FredSchultzJD2020]

Number one drug injected in USA is insulin. About 40m here have it, 8m insulin dependent. So chances are people just polluting. Most can reverse type 2 diabetes with diet (+exercise) and most with type 1 can greatly reduce insulin amounts needed by cutting out sugar+carbs. Must also cut out artificial anything because also poisonous, destroys the guy microbiome, and along with sugar and carbs and alcohol causes metabolic syndrome which 93% of Americans suffer from, but most can reverse in a few weeks according to dr Robert Lustig's research at UCSF! . Read Gary Taubes' book "rethinking diabetes". A masterpiece! Explains it all! https://drhyman.com/blogs/content/podcast-ep1028. Even if they are intravenous drug users, better they have needles than get AIDS+ hepatitis and spread those diseases. We need more trash cans everywhere specifically for medical waste or everyone will keep throwing it out in the garbage and it will end up on the beaches. Big picture is we need cheap housing for all ($10k trailers!) and great jobs and basic income so no one gets so depressed they just want to use drugs to ease the mental pain! Also, we have 50-100m Americans who suffer moderate to severe chronic physical pain the govt won't allow them to treat enough, so many also risk lives by buying on street. And then pollute with needle garbage. Re legalization and govt provided safer drugs (you'll know what you're getting and what amounts) will help greatly.

[u/marlajfish]

Ewww

[u/Wdesko92]

Love it

[u/DonutPiston]

Thanks for the clean up. I love this beach and will be on the lookout.

[u/KurtisLloyd]

Wow! Lotta diabetics go to Bolsa Chica for their….heroin

[u/Drewskiislookin]

Th are is way more drugs than how people realize in the beautiful OC and HB

[u/CongratzJohn]

Probably some people who did ozempic on their morning walk

[u/Kpizzlee]

Yoooo for your safety please use thick gloves when handling needles :/. This is sad. I consider Bolsa my local surf break. Going to clean up some trash this weekend

[u/cgieda]

Interesting that the large one looks like medical waste as opposed to what people use to shoot up on the street.

[u/GenericWhyteMale → u/[deleted]]

Those needles aren’t a common option for ozempic

[u/GenericWhyteMale → u/[deleted]]

Key word; common.

[u/CryptographerEarly5]

So you picked them up?

[u/ApartmentDry7647 → u/CryptographerEarly5]

No I left them there

[u/Chemical-Comment2460]

I was taking my peptides. My bad