Bizarre Items Found on New Jersey Beaches During Clean-Up; Shark Man Catches Tiger Shark

In 2023, volunteers from Clean Ocean Action scoured New Jersey's 127-mile coastline and collected a staggering 176,206 items, offering a glimpse into the peculiar and unexpected objects left behind by beachgoers.

From Mundane to Bizarre

The variety of findings ranged from mundane debris such as bottle caps, cigarettes, and plastic pieces, to truly bizarre and unexpected objects.

Noteworthy Discoveries

Some of the most notable discoveries included voodoo dolls, whoopee cushions, zip ties, and denture powder, highlighting the eclectic array of items found on the beaches.

Among the unusual items were a 50-pound bag of rice, a Baby Yoda doll, a severed Barbie head, a food fryer, boxer shorts, a bra, fishnet stockings, and a jockstrap. Additionally, a pregnancy test with an unknown result and assorted articles of clothing were also left behind.

Executive Director's Perspective

Cindy Zipf, the executive director of Clean Ocean Action, expressed astonishment at the range of items discovered, describing the report as a "guilt list of our region’s worst littering ways."

Plastic Waste

Nearly 80% of the total items collected were made of plastic, with bottle caps, lids, food wrappers, cigarette butts, and plastic straws constituting a significant portion of the haul.

Perplexing Discoveries

Some of the most head-scratching finds included auto parts such as an automobile gas tank, car batteries, a bumper, an air compressor, and even tires left on the beach. Furthermore, personal grooming items like an electric razor, body hair remover, and denture cleansing powder were also among the items retrieved.