Sewage Discharges from Boats
Bureau of Marine Patrol, DMR - 633-9595
Pamela Parker, DEP - 287-7905
Injured Birds and Wildlife
ME Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Public Information Office - 287-8000
Center for Wildlife - 361-1400
Marine Mammal Stranding
Marine Stranding Collaborative - 800-532-9551
New England Aquarium Hotline - 617-973-5247
Hypodermic Needles/ Syringes
The discovery of a carelessly discarded syringe can occur almost anywhere. Often times illegal drug use is associated with these syringes. Whether it is on a beach or in a city park discarded syringes pose a threat of infection or disease.
NEVER pick up a syringe, as it can contain pathogens. This is what you should do if you encounter a discarded syring:
- Don't touch it.
- If it is on a beach staffed with a lifeguard, report it to him or her.
- If it is necessary to leave the location, mark it somehow for future identification.
- Call a local enforcement agency (police or town hall)
- Report it to the Department of Environmental Protection at 800-482-0777.
If you are pricked by a needle, call Maine Center for Disease Control - 800-821-5821 and ask to speak to an epidemiologist.
Stormwater Pollution
Stormdrains empty to the Bay; therefore it is important that no waste of any kind is dumped onto street surfaces, into stormdrains or near drainage pipes. To report a violation:
South Portland - call Dave Thomes at South Portland Water Resource Protection Department at 207-767-7675 or use this online form.
If You Find a Syringe on the Shore...
WCSH-TV recently reported that a woman and her children had picked up 82 used hypodermic needles from a beach in Harpswell. While most of the needles they found were capped, it’s important NEVER to pick up needles yourself, as they can contain pathogens. Call your town hall or local police and ask if they can provide someone with a biohazard disposal kit and tongs; they can remove the needles and deliver them to a disposal site such as a hospital.
Our volunteers found syringes during cleanups at Back Cove in Portland last year -- you can read about it here.