Cleaning crews spent the night removing what appeared to be medical waste that had washed up on Dockweiler State Beach.

The closure was announced Wednesday evening when the waste was spotted in the sand along the almost 4-mile-long beach. Tonya Durrell, L.A. City spokeswoman, tells the L.A. Times that the waste was not toxic and “does not pose a threat to the public”.

James Alamillo, a scientist with Heal the Bay, said it’s possible that recent heavy rains caused overflows within the system, allowing solid matter to escape.

That pipeline and a pump at the Hyperion plant are both being repaired, with the waste diverted to a temporary pipe that discharges a mile offshore while the five-to-six week fix project continues.

Hyperion is designed to capture solid waste and the pipelines are supposed to discharge only treated wastewater.

Environmental nonprofit Heal the Bay also is monitoring the beach. The group found excessive levels of bacteria in the water.

“It’s going to wind up in the ocean and turn our valuable resource into a cesspool”, he said.

He also admonished members of the public for flushing needles and other debris down toilets, saying those items belong in the trash.