Los Angeles beaches closed again as crews clean up waste

The closure was announced Wednesday evening when the waste was spotted in the sand along the almost 4-mile-long beach.

Warning signs have been placed around the area, informing people of the situation.

The garbage also started washing up on El Segundo Beach, prompting its closure on Thursday.

However, county spokeswoman Tonya Durell told reporters that the waste was not toxic and goes on to say that it “does not pose a threat to the public”. However, health officials did urge visitors to the beaches to stay out of the water, as well as to avoid contact with sand and any other items that washed up on the beaches.

They believe it was discharged from a pipeline belonging to a city-owned treatment plant, following a strong storm last week. As a result, she said, some waste was temporarily diverted and discharged just a mile from shore.

But a net designed to catch plastic waste failed, and it flushed out into Santa Monica Bay, according to Heal the Bay. The group also tweeted out a photo, showing what looked like a tampon applicator floating in the water.

Heal the Bay spokesperson James Alamillo said he suspects the waste may be related to recent rainfall.

For now they’re trying to keep swimmers and surfers away from the beaches. He said that it will end up in the ocean, which will be turned into a cesspool. L.A. Sanitation crews were cleaning up the medical waste.