AVALON, N.J. (CBS 3) The New Jersey Attorney General announced a suburban Philadelphia dentist has been charged with dumping medical waste in the waters off the Jersey shore.
Attorney General Anne Milgram said Dr. Thomas McFarland was charged with unlawful discharge of a pollutant and unlawful disposal of regulated medical waste after allegedly dumping over 200 needles and additional medical-type materials from a boat off the coast of Avalon.
McFarland, 59, surrendered to authorities on September 2, admitting to crime. On Thursday, investigators enacted a search warrant on McFarland's Lower Merion home.
CBS 3 cameras were rolling as detectives were joined by Avalon Police and investigators from the New Jersey State Attorney General's office conducted the search of the dentist's home and office.
Dr. McFarland, who also has a home in Avalon Manor, allegedly dumped a large bag of waste in the north end of Avalon.
The Attorney General's office said he, "allegedly took his small motor boat into Townsend Inlet at the north end of Avalon on Aug. 22 and dumped a bag of waste from his dental practice in Wynnewood, Pa."
The next day, nearly 300 dental-type needles, 180 cotton swabs and various other materials washed ashore along a one-mile stretch of shore in Avalon, leading officials to temporarily close the beach.
The Attorney General's Office had offered a $10,000 reward for information in the case. Several days after the initial incident, investigator received undisclosed information pointing to a number of dental practices as possible sources of the debris.
After McFarland's surrender, investigators discovered evidence corroborating his statement that the waste originated from his dental practice. McFarland could face up to five years in prison and fine up to $75,000 if found guilty of the crime.
Authorities said later incidents of medical waste washing on the shores of Ocean City, Brigantine and Cape May are unrelated to the case.
Avalon and Ocean City were keeping visitors out of the water and away from the wet sand after medical waste washed ashore all week.
