The U.S. Geological Survey of Yellowstone National Park has tallied the results of a large-scale cleanup of its hydrothermal areas: since the start of the year, more than 20,100 pieces of trash, 5,600 rocks and sticks, and over 280 hats have been pulled from hot springs and geysers, infohub.kz reports.
Park officials said 2026 set a record for the volume of waste collected. They blamed strong winds and careless visitors for the wide variety of items ending up in the unique natural features.
Among the season's most unusual finds were headphones, an inhaler, Pokémon cards, golf tees, children's slime and even a miniature edition of the novel "The Vampire Diaries." Staff also retrieved coins from various countries totaling more than $18.
Experts warn that foreign debris clogs hydrothermal channels and destroys unique bacterial colonies.
Park workers try to give some of the recovered items a second life. In particular, all the caps and sun hats that survived are to be washed and donated to local charities.
Park management is urging tourists to keep a close eye on their belongings and not pollute the fragile ecosystem.