Clean Ocean Action’s annual report reveals an odd mix of items cleared from New Jersey’s coastline, highlighting the persistent issue of littering

As New Jersey’s Jersey Shore gears up for the incoming beach season, a peculiar list of items found during last year’s clean-up has surfaced, courtesy of the environmental group Clean Ocean Action. From voodoo dolls and whoopie cushions to denture powder and zip ties, the assortment of bizarre trash collected from the state’s beaches paints a vivid picture of the eclectic debris left behind by beachgoers.

In a substantial effort that saw nearly 3,700 volunteers participating, a staggering 176,206 items were cleared from New Jersey’s 127-mile coastline. Among the haul were typical and unfortunately common litter, such as bottle caps, cigarette butts, and plastic fragments. However, it was the unusual finds that stood out: a 50-pound bag of rice, a Baby Yoda doll, and notably, a food fryer, leaving many to wonder about the circumstances that led to its beachside abandonment.

The list of peculiar items did not end there. Among the detritus were articles of clothing ranging from boxer shorts and bras to bikinis and even a jockstrap. Beauty and personal care items also made an appearance with finds like fake eyelashes, fishnet stockings, and a pregnancy test with an undisclosed result. 

Cindy Zipf, the executive director of Clean Ocean Action, which has been spearheading the beach sweeps since 1985, reflected on the diversity of the collected items. Describing the report as a “guilt list” of littering behaviors, Zipf expressed astonishment at the range of objects found, from the quirky and amusing to the outright bizarre.

Plastics dominated the findings, comprising nearly 80% of the total items collected, with bottle caps and lids alone accounting for more than 13% of the haul. Other significant contributors to the litter included food and candy wrappers, miscellaneous plastic pieces, cigarette butts, and over 10,000 plastic straws or stirrers.

The oddities extended to automotive parts found on the beaches, including a gas tank, car batteries, a bumper, an air compressor, and 24 tires. The report also noted grooming items among the litter, such as an electric razor, body hair remover, and denture cleansing powder, alongside household items like crock pots, a refrigerator, and even a full-length mirror.

The report also noted an array of food items left behind, ranging from pineapples and a coconut to a fortune cookie, a can of tuna, and a box of Valentine’s candy, adding a sweet yet puzzling touch to the findings.

This eclectic mix of beach trash not only underscores the ongoing challenge of littering along New Jersey’s shores but also highlights the importance of environmental stewardship and the collective effort required to maintain the cleanliness and beauty of the coastline.