Visitors to Keyport, New Jersey are being warned not to touch or ingest anything at their beach because it is possible. They are also being directed not to swim in the oceans along the shore.
Coming into contact with arsenic can cause a variety of health problems such as liver damage, kidney failure, and even cancer. If someone does touch some of the arsenic they are encouraged to wash their hands afterwards.
A large section of this shoreline will be closed down as Department of Environmental Protection agents examine something called slag, which is defined as stony waste matter separated from metals during the smelting or refining of ore.
“[We] removed and tested many of the larger pieces of this material and will continue the cleanup as needed. While tests have found very small concentrations of lead that are well below direct contact standards… most of the samples were found to have elevated concentrations of arsenic” said The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
There are still ongoing investigations to find the source of the toxic substance. Although the source is unknown, according to multiple reports it is believed to be coming from an old landfill in Keyport.
