AVALON

— A Pennsylvania dentist was sentenced today to four years of probation for dumping medical waste into the Atlantic Ccean in Cape May County, forcing beaches in Avalon to close for five days.

Thomas McFarland, 61, of Wynnewood, Pa., also paid $100,000 to Avalon as restitution for its cleanup costs and for environmental projects.

McFarland, who owns a second home in the Avalon Manor section of Middle Township, pleaded guilty on March 15 to unlawful discharge of water pollutants. The waste included 260 needles, 180 cotton swabs and several capsules that held filling material.

McFarland told Superior Court Judge Raymond Batten in Cape May County that he piloted his Boston Whaler into the nearby Townsends Inlet on Aug. 22, 2008, and dumped a bag of medical waste generated from his dental practice.

Days later, the needles started washing ashore between 9th and 24th streets, prompting Avalon officials to close the beaches.

As the investigation was leading authorities to him, McFarland surrendered to Avalon police on Sept. 2, 2008, and admitted dumping the medical waste.

He was indicted Nov. 18, 2008, on charges of unlawful disposal of regulated medical waste and unlawful discharge of a pollutant. He could have faced up to five years in prison if convicted of the most serious of those charges.

McFarland tried unsuccessfully for admission into the Pre-trial Intervention (PTI) program that would have expunged his criminal record after complying with the requirements.

Assemblymen Nelson Albano and Matthew Milam (both D-Cape May), who after the incident sponsored legislation doubling the fines for medical waste dumping, called the sentence "too lenient."

Albano said a doubling of the fines, to $100,000, was necessary to deter and penalize polluters.

"Polluters who foul our beaches must pay dearly for tarnishing the shore’s reputation — something today’s sentence does not adequately enforce," Albano said today.

Milam said reckless behavior by a single person can have a devastating effect on the beach communities and their businesses.

"Dr. McFarland’s actions had severe economic repercussions on the region – repercussions that his light sentence does not take into account," he said.

The new law, which went into effect this year, did not apply to McFarland’s case.

McFarland’s attorney, Carl Poplar, could not be reached for comment.

Related coverage:

• PA dentist to stand trial on charges of dumping medical debris at Jersey Shore

• Pennsylvania dentist pleads not guilty to dumping medical waste at shore