HANSVILLE — The Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the Kitsap County Parks and Recreation Department are removing toxic creosote-treated debris from county park beaches through May 3.

A crew of six Puget SoundCorps members and two DNR staff members are identifying the debris to be removed and hauling the debris to a dumpster. In addition to old pilings, the crew is also removing old docks and other marine debris that has washed onto county park shores and adjacent beaches.

Work began April 29 at the Old Mill Park in Silverdale; continued May 1 at Point No Point Park; and finished May 3 at Norwegian Point and Salsbury Point parks.

Funding for the project comes from the state’s 2012 Jobs Now Act, the Washington Department of Ecology, and the state’s voter-approved tax on hazardous substances. The project is expected to cost around $6,000.

Creosote debris can be found throughout Puget Sound. According to DNR, as old docks and structures deteriorate, they can break apart and float out into the current, often washing up on shorelines. Much of this material has been treated with creosote, a combination of hundreds of chemicals, including polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These chemicals are toxic to marine life and to people.