NORTH INLET BEACH, De. - Dozens of volunteers gathered at the beach north of the Indian River Inlet on Tuesday, not for leisure, but to clean up debris that had washed ashore or been buried in the sand. This debris, some of which dates back to Hurricane Sandy, was uncovered during recent storms.
Kathleen Bergin of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) stated that the project has been ongoing since June 2023. "This is former Hurricane Sandy debris that was uncovered last June, and then in September of last year, Hurricane Ophelia dropped off a whole bunch more," she said.
Volunteers removed significant debris, including pieces of concrete, large chunks of asphalt, and rocks, from a three-quarter-mile stretch of the north inlet beach. Taylor Hardin, a volunteer, emphasized the importance of the cleanup for safety. "It's massive and it's all under the sand, so there's so much that we don't see. I'm just thinking of the potential injury and all of the metal that could be getting on people's feet, especially the surfers and the kids," Hardin said.
Bergin added that the cleanup is also crucial for environmental reasons. "It's important for us to be out here not only for recreational safety but also for environmental safety. Asphalt in its own condition is not necessarily good for the environment. We are focused on making sure the beach is safe for beachgoers and for environmental reasons, keeping the shoreline safe, and maintaining habitat for any species that may want to reside in this area."
DNREC noted that some of the debris might be from the old Indian River Inlet Bridge, which was being deconstructed during Hurricane Sandy.