Thousands Participate In Jersey Shore Beach Cleanup

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) - Thousands of volunteers have swept across dozens of Jersey Shore beaches as part of an environmental group's annual cleanup program.

Clean Ocean Action staged its 29th annual fall beach sweeps Saturday at more than 70 coastal locations.

Volunteers collected, tallied and removed hundreds of harmful and unsightly debris, including various plastics, cigarette butts and syringes. They also found part of a car door, a large piece of fiberglass from a boat, a trunk of metal tiles and a bag of mice.

Cindy Ziff, executive director of Clean Ocean Action, said other items found include bike handles, a rusty anchor, chicken bones, a Lego castle and a whole bikini-- both the top and bottom.

"The rains come and the water flows off the streets all that debris is collected and then sent into storm drains so we find things like plastic bottle caps. On Sandy Hook Beach alone there were 2,651 plastic caps," Ziff said.

She also said they found over 700 cigarette filters, which are commonly found. But six-pack rings, an item that was commonplace as beach debris 20-30 years ago, is becoming less frequently found.

Organizers say the data collected from these sweeps will be combined with information collected during similar events held this spring, then analyzed and presented in an annual report.

The reports identify pollution problems, educate citizens on the types and quantities of debris and contribute to local and international efforts to combat marine pollution.

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