Hats, pencils and baby pacifiers: Yellowstone staffers retrieve record amount of trash from hot springs

Frequent finds collected by the Yellowstone national park geology team during the summer season in 2026. Photograph: Margery Price/National Park Service Frequent finds collected by the Yellowstone national park geology team during the summer season in 2026. Photograph: Margery Price/National Park Service US news Hats, pencils and baby pacifiers: Yellowstone staffers retrieve record amount of trash from hot springs The park is the most highly visited and strong winds make trash problem worse, with gusts blowing away items

Prefer the Guardian on Google Hold on to your hats – Yellowstone national park staffers have removed a record-setting 20,100 pieces of trash from hydrothermal areas around the geyser-filled park so far this year

The most commonly found items include 280 hats, 54 camera lens caps, 47 hair ties, 42 pencils, 36 pairs of sunglasses, 20 hotel key cards and 17 baby pacifiers.