AUSTIN — Today, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced the results of the 2019 Fall Cleanup.

“Preserving our environment and coastline is critical for the State of Texas,” said Commissioner George P. Bush. “Despite flooding on our coastline, 6,631 volunteers joined together and removed 106,141 pounds (53 tons) of trash from 130 miles of Texas beaches and bays. The incredible turnout from Texans across the state despite horrific flooding exemplifies our resiliency and dedication to ensuring our coast is preserved. Thank you, Adopt-A-Beach volunteers.”

Since the cleanups began, more than 540,000 volunteers have removed more than 9,700 tons of trash from Texas beaches. Cigarette butts, beer cans and plastic bags are among the most common items found. However, with each cleanup, plenty of odd and unusual items inevitably are reported. At the 2019 fall cleanup, strange items found on Texas beaches included a duck decoy, glow stick, tire, $1.00 winning lottery ticket, shotgun shells, turtle bones, carpet, and clothes hangers.

Special thanks to our sponsors who contributed to our 2019 Fall Cleanup event: Apache Corporation, Corona Del Mar Beach Properties, Dumpsters.com, ExxonMobil Foundation, Murphy Oil & Exploration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Ocean Conservancy, SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, Schlumberger, Texas Coastal Management Program, and Trusted Senior Specialists.

The Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach program is an all-volunteer effort to remove trash from Texas' shores. Coastal cleanups are held three times each year and the program's success is due to the hard work of volunteers, including local coordinators who work many unpaid hours publicizing the cleanups in coastal communities. Adopt-A-Beach volunteers record data on the trash they find to learn more about the causes of marine debris and to help mitigate pollution along Texas' 367 miles of coastline.