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More than *** million waste items were collected in the United States during the 2024 International Coastal Cleanup (ICC). Cigarette butts topped the list of most common waste items found, with more than ** units collected. Bottle caps were the second most collected waste item, followed by food wrappers. 

Which beaches in the U.S. are the most littered?

With the longest coastline across the contiguous United States, Florida featured the largest number of waste items found during the 2024 ICC. In September that year, a total of * volunteers collected over *** thousand items in the southeastern state. This was followed by California, where the number of waste items collected neared **. Overall, the United States accounted for around **** percent of the total  litter found during the 2024 ICC worldwide.

The impact of ocean littering

As one of the largest plastic consumers worldwide, the U.S. coastal population generates millions of tons of mismanaged waste every year through littering and illegal dumping. Oftentimes, this plastic waste ends up in oceans, where it can threaten marine environments, interfere with navigational safety, or lead to economic losses in fishing and maritime sectors. Plastic bottles, bags, and food wrappers are some of the most common types of litter found in shorelines and nearshore waters worldwide.