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Green Action Group Hosting Weekend Beach Cleanup

NEW JERSEY (CBS) -- Hula hoops, dentures, and fake Christmas trees -- just a few of the items found along New Jersey's coast last year.

This weekend, one green action group pulls together volunteers to pick up trash up and down the New Jersey coastline.

Thousands will gather with the green group Clean Ocean Action to sift through sand. The group has been cleaning up after beach-goers since 1984.

"The New Jersey Shore was known as the ocean dumping capital of the world," said Cindy Zipf, Executive Director of the group.

She says last year, they collected nearly 220,000 pieces of trash from beaches.

"81% of the items were plastic. From plastic pieces to plastic candy wrappers, to cigarette filters, straws, of course, is always a big one, plastic bags," Zipf said.

She says they pick up trash both before and after the summer season.

"Marine debris, litter, garbage in the ocean is harmful and lethal to marine life," said Zipf.

Below is a list of where to go to help with this weekend's cleanup:

ATLANTIC COUNTY:

Atlantic City - Albany Avenue (199 S. Albany Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401) Sponsored by Atlantic City Electric
Gardner's Basin (800 North New Hampshire Ave, Atlantic City, NJ)
Galloway- Hosted on April 29th- Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge (800 Great Creek Rd. Oceanville, NJ)
Longport - 33rd and Atlantic Avenue Beach (Library: 2305 Atlantic Ave. Longport, NJ 08403 B
Margate - Granville Avenue Beach (Library: 8100 Atlantic Ave. Margate City, NJ 08402
Ventnor City - Newport Avenue Beach (Community Building: 6500 Atlantic Ave, Ventor City, NJ 08406
Brigantine - 17th St. Beach, South (Brigantine Beach Patrol, 1700 17th Street, Brigantine, NJ 08203

CAPE MAY COUNTY:

Avalon - 32nd Street Beach
Cape May
Nature Center of Cape May (1600 Delaware Avenue, Cape May, NJ 08204)
2nd Avenue Beach (Jetty Motel: 2nd Beach Ave, Cape May, NJ 08204)
Ocean City - Ocean City Music Pier- Moorlyn Terrace and Boardwalk (825 Boardwalk, Ocean City, NJ 08226)
Sea Isle City - John F. Kennedy Boulevard Beach
Stone Harbor - 96th Street Beach
Wildwood - Poplar Avenue Beach (Groff's Restaurant - 423 E. Magnolia Avenue, Wildwood, NJ 08260)
Wildwood Crest- Centennial Park (Fern and Ocean Ave)
Villas - Village Rd. and Bay Drive (meet at the dead end by the beach access)

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