This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.

Summer is here and it’s time to hit the beach. But be sure to take care of your trash. Trash left on the beach can harm the animals that live there. Birds, turtles, and other wildlife can become entangled in carelessly discarded fishing line. And they can mistake plastic for food. Once an animal eats marine debris — a plastic bag, cigarette butt, or bottle cap, for instance — they can develop a false feeling of being full, stop eating, and eventually starve. So when you go looking for sun and sand this summer, make sure to dispose of your trash properly by putting it in a garbage can or ashtray or taking it home with you. You can also pick up any trash that you see on the beach. In one recent clean-up event, volunteers collected more than 12,000 pounds of trash from Delaware’s shoreline and other waterways! This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.