More than 11,500 pounds of trash removed from Long Island Sound
News Times, March 21, 2026 by ,Staff Writer
More than 11,500 pounds of trash removed across Long Island Sound
Nearly six tons of trash was removed from beaches, lakes and parks in Connecticut and New York in 2025, according to new cleanup data from Save the Sound.
Volunteers collected a total of 11,541 pounds of litter — roughly the weight of two large SUVs — during cleanups at coastal and inland sites across the Long Island Sound region last year, the environmental nonprofit said.
The most common types of trash found were cigarette butts (18,321); food wrappers (10,741); bottle caps (12,718 plastic and metal caps combined); and small plastic pieces (8,067). Those same items have topped the list for the past nine years, according to Save the Sound.
“Cleanups like these have many environmental benefits, such as removing items that can leach chemicals into the ground and our waterways and preventing discarded fishing lines from entangling wildlife,” said Annalisa Paltauf, a cleanup coordinator with Save the Sound. “It has a real impact, brings people together, and encourages good stewardship of our region.”
During cleanups, volunteers track the garbage they pick up using the Clean Swell app or by tallying items on paper worksheets.
Environmentalists say trash left behind can seriously harm wildlife, and in some cases be fatal. Animals that live in and around Long Island Sound can become entangled in fishing line, nets, balloon strings and other debris. They can also mistake plastics, cigarette butts and Styrofoam for food.
Balloon debris continues to be a problem. Save the Sound said volunteers picked up 495 balloons in 2025. On average, the group removes more than 400 Mylar or latex balloons each year, along with more than 100 pieces of Styrofoam.
Some of the trash items most commonly found during cleanups have been the focus of legislative efforts. Connecticut has placed restrictions on single-use polystyrene containers, also called Styrofoam, and there has been a push to curb balloon releases as well.
Save the Sound has hosted cleanups in Connecticut as part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup since 2002 and expanded to sites in New York in 2024. Last year, the group held cleanups at 98 locations across the two states.
The nonprofit’s next round of cleanups will begin with Earth Day events scheduled for April 18 at several locations:
- Long Wharf in New Haven, partnering with UNH COASTS event at Canal Dock boathouse;
- Harbor Island Park in Mamaroneck, N.Y.; and
- Harborfront Park in Port Jefferson, N.Y.
