Volunteers pulled 7,880 pounds of litter and debris from the San Dieguito Lagoon in Del Mar on Sept. 19. The haul made the lagoon the largest of five local cleanup sites in a countywide effort that removed an estimated 103,688 pounds of trash from beaches, canyons, rivers and parks.

The cleanup was part of I Love A Clean San Diego's 42nd annual Coastal Cleanup Day, first reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune. A group of 47 volunteers, including Del Mar-based Scouting America Pack 734, worked at the lagoon and beneath Interstate 5. Beyond hauling debris, the group planted native species and removed invasive plants.

I Love A Clean San Diego called the lagoon site a "heavy hitter."

Four other sites operated across Del Mar and Solana Beach. At Fletcher Cove in Solana Beach, volunteers collected 50 pounds of trash. Del Mar Dog Beach yielded 47 pounds, and San Elijo Lagoon County Park produced 21 pounds. The San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy, a local nonprofit, had announced plans to lead a volunteer group at the Dog Beach site.

In Solana Beach, seven volunteers spent the morning clearing 28 pounds of litter from a green space and creek behind the Stevens Avenue shopping center near Rudy's Taco Shop.

Across San Diego County, 92 sites drew volunteers for the effort. Cigarette butts, plastic bottle caps and food wrappers were among the most commonly collected items, according to an I Love A Clean San Diego news release. The oddest finds included a foot massager, a sofa cushion and flippers.

Steve Morris, executive director of I Love A Clean San Diego, said the results reflect a broader shift. "Based on the last litter study (from Keep America Beautiful), litter is down 34% across America," Morris said in the release. "That tells me this is a solvable problem."

The cleanup drew support from sponsors including SDG&E, Cox Communications, the County of San Diego, Wells Fargo and Bank of America. Over 42 years, the organization's cleanups have brought together more than 270,000 volunteers and cleared over 5 million pounds of litter from local outdoor spaces, according to the release.

That work continues year-round. Residents interested in future cleanups can find information at cleansd.org.