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2015 Coastal Cleanup nets tons of trash and recyclables

Delaware Public Media

About 1500 volunteers cleaned up nearly eight tons of trash from Delaware's coastlines in DNREC's annual cleanup last month.

The state natural resources agency reports its 29th cleanup collected 7.8 tons of refuse total. They recycled a third of it -- mainly cans and bottles.

Officials say the cleanup netted more cigarette butts than last year -- a total of more than 20,000 -- and more fishing-related items, including about 100 crab pots. They also found fewer balloons and food-related items than in 2014.

They list a smoke detector, an umbrella holder, a toilet seat, a teacup and four shot glasses, one of which was still full, as some of the more unusual finds this year.

The cleanup spanned more than 80 miles of coastline and waterways at 50 sites. Data collected during the annual event goes to the Center for Marine Conservation, which uses it to develop ways to reduce debris.