ROCKLAND — The numbers aren’t in yet, but Jenny Carter guesses that more cigarette butts were picked up during this year’s Earth Day Cleanup in Rockland than last year’s estimated 6,000 butts. Science shows that cigarettes are toxic to marine life and coastal rain sweeps cigarettes into the ocean, prompting a grimace to the number 6,000 by many seemingly unrelated industries.

More than 100 volunteers dispersed to six designated cleanup sites in Rockland on Saturday morning, April 25, 2026. A couple hours later, they reunited under blue skies and warm 45-50 degree temps at Harbor Park, cheerful, smiling, social, and ready for a free barbecue; a raffle prize for a Lemon Bar gift card didn’t hurt the mood either. (The last two years were miserable rainy days, yet still drew 80-90 volunteers.)

Because of them, the landscape is a little less mired. Now headed to the Transfer Station are a bike lock, a long broken piece of wide plastic pipe, rusted poles, plastic crates, Styrofoam, rope, picnic trash, tissue, “only one hypodermic needle this year,” according to a returning volunteer (properly tended to based on specific protocols) and, of course, cigarettes. The waste came from Chapman Park, Harbor and Buoy parks, Sandy Beach Park, Snow Marine Park, the Harbor Trail along the Downtown area, the ferry terminal. Each site had a location leader, courtesy of the Energy and Sustainability Advisory Committee, which did the larger amount of coordinating for the event. At each station, volunteers recorded their finds before separating trash into designated containers.

“We really wanted to cast a wide net, collect as much data as we can,” said Energy committee member Nathan Smith, site leader for Sandy Beach.

The cigarettes are not counted individually, according to Carter, Rockland’s Sustainability and Community Development Coordinator. In the past, a volunteer ventured out for her own mini clean-up activity. She determined how many butts fit into a cup, and reported her findings to organizing committees. Rockland’s Earth Day Cleanup, sponsored by the City, determines the amount of cigarettes based on volume. All findings are reported to International Coastal Cleanup, as part of an international marine debris effort. Many other Earth Day events in Maine and beyond are tracking and submitting similar data.

To ICC, waste that lands in waterways is a serious matter. But, the concern is also felt by a variety of local organizations. Several of them were on hand during morning sign-in, sharing their agency’s education. A Pen Bay Community Health cigarette cessation program is concerned about cigarette and vape waste. AIO has perspective based on food scraps and food waste. Friends of Maine Coastal Islands wants to prevent seabirds from eating plastic trash. Georges River Land Trust is concerned about conservation and accessibility.

Volunteers came from the Hurricane Island program, the Coast Guard, Station Maine, City Council, Knit Wits, and more. OceansWide pulled abandoned traps from the bottom of the harbor, according to Carter.

As a second chance for their buckets, Scrap Dogs donated their containers that were too damaged for their business but still usable for trash collection. Bait buckets from the Municipal Fish Pier were also put into use.

“It’s all about reducing the stuff that goes into the waste stream,” said Carter.

A compost table educated on the new signage coming to the Rockland Transfer Station, making it easier for residents to know where to put their food waste. The Harbor Trail Committee sponsored the cook out. Good Tern Co-op sponsored bagels and cream cheese. Rock City donated the coffee.

Unlike the last two years, volunteers did not race away after submitting their waste collections. They lingered, chatted, and enjoyed the park.

“It’s a great day,” said Carter.

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com