SALISBURY — Volunteers scooped up more than 50 pounds of trash and nearly 900 cigarette butts on Saturday during the Blue Ocean Society's first cleanup of half a mile of Salisbury Beach.

A plethora of metal cans and plastic — including bottles, balloons, straws and bags — made up the bulk of the debris collected and recorded, Blue Ocean Society program director Patty Adell said. And finding a hypodermic syringe on the beach where children dig in the sand and everyone walks barefoot was worrisome, she added.

"Most of the things we picked up were easily recyclable pieces of plastic, and cigarette butts were everywhere," she said. "In total, 50 pounds for that small stretch of beach was an impressive amount of trash to collect. There definitely needs to be some funding so signs can be put up about the life cycle of litter and also where people can easily go to recycle things. Finding the hypodermic syringe is not good; they're dangerous."

Adell said many people don't understand how serious it is to drop their cigarette butts on the beach. It takes from five to 10 years for cigarette filters to dissipate, and even then, because filters are made of plastic — a petroleum product — they never really completely degrade, she said.

The 21 balloons and more than 30 plastic bags found were also a concern, Adell said.

"Plastic bags and balloons are the top items that our large sea mammals, like whales and dolphins, our sea turtles and sea birds mistake for food," she said. "When they eat them, these items can get tangled up in the intestinal tract and can possibly be fatal."

Although the beach is filled with trash receptacles — including the new "pizza box only" trash cans, Adell said education on the problems litter causes the oceans and its ecosystem would very beneficial for the health of Salisbury Beach. From the collection of trash picked up Saturday, the litter found on the beach clearly comes from beach-goers who dispose of their cigarettes, food and drink containers by just dropping them on the beach, she said.

Adell is planning more beach cleanups this summer, and those interested in helping should call her at 978-361-6201.

The Blue Ocean Society of Marine Conservation has opened a Sea Life Discovery Center at Salisbury Beach Center at 25B Broadway, right beside the SurfSide5 lounge. The Portsmouth-based, nonprofit organization promotes awareness and conservation of the marine environment through education and research in New England.

A variety of programs is planned for the center this season.

"Seaweeds Do More Than Stink" is the topic for two workshops offered on Aug. 5 at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Dick and Katy Fralick will be the presenters. The discussion is suitable for both children and adults with hands-on component.

Dick Fralick has taught at Salem State College and the University of New Hampshire and has done extensive marine research in Antartica, the Philippines, Florida Keys, the Azores and along the New England coastline from Maine to Cape Cod.

People can sign up online at www.blueoceansociety.org. A donation of $3 to the Blue Ocean Society is suggested.

The Salisbury Sea Life Discovery Center is open Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, noon to 7 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.