Arkansas River Dumped with Biohazard Containers

• comments
• 
• 

In Pawnee County, Oklahoma, a dad of two found biohazard containers filled with vials of blood and medical syringes washed on the shores of the Arkansas River, reports NewsOn6.

Taylor Smyth was out on a boat ride with his two daughters on the river, west of Tulsa, when they found what he thought was a tackle box. But upon closer inspection, the biohazard containers were full of used syringes with needles intact, and vials of blood. Acordingt to KJRH Channel 2, they found five containers and more that day.

Inside the containers, bottles of prescription medication were found with some patients' names, date, and the hospital from where it came from.

"St. John Hospital," reads Smyth. Aaron Lindstrom, who was canoeing in the river, also found a similar but empty container stuck on a driftwood nearby.

There were at least 15 plastic containers filled with medical wastes found scattered in the river and various banks of Ralston, Belford Bridge, and Cleveland, notes NewsOn6.

"It's sickening to think that there's a possibility that somebody could get 'hepatized' from something like this and the possibility is very real," Smyth said in another news interview for News Channel 4  (KFOR).

Mike Waters, the Pawnee County Sheriff, said that the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality is now involved in the investigation. The sheriff thinks that the plastic containers filled with medical waste were thrown off a bridge somewhere west of Ralston. Some of the materials have also been found down the river in Cleveland.

According to NewsOn6, St. John Hospital, whose name was on the medical supplies, released a statement:

"St. John is cooperating with law enforcement regarding an ongoing criminal investigation and we are not able to comment further on this matter. St. John is actively evaluating relevant security breach and safety issues to ensure that a safe environment is maintained for all."

The hospital wouldn't comment on the question of who is in charge of disposing the biohazard materials.

Sheriff Waters is focused on finding the culprit. He and the DEQ released a warning for folks going to the river to stay cautious and not go barefoot when walking along the sand. If a biohazard container with medical waste is seen, report it immediately to the Sheriff's office, reports NewsOn6.