San Francisco's iconic beaches are under siege from an unwelcome invader: garbage. Beachgoers, once eager to comb the sands of Ocean Beach and Fort Funston for natural treasures, are now finding their scenic strolls marred by a sea of plastic waste. "It’s kind of sad to see," local resident Justin Baskin told SFist. "For goodness’ sake, to stay here it’s already really hard. So, might as well not live in a pigsty."

Determined not to allow their shores to become refuse dumps, some locals have started to fill bags with the detritus they uncover mistakenly. "I’ve got what appears to be a shampoo bottle, three water bottles, some like plastic netting, and some plastic beer holders," Sophia Lewman displayed to KTVU during her beach cleanup efforts. The source of the pollution is believed to be the city's sewer system, as stated by the National Park Service. However, there's also another grim contributor: rain and soil erosion have unearthed decades-old trash from the former Mussell Rock Landfill, compounding the coastal crisis.

The ecological implications are vivid and far-reaching, with wildlife bearing the brunt of human negligence. Visitors have expressed concern about animals ensnared in plastic or choking on refuse. "Fish getting plastic wrapped around their necks or birds," Baskin elucidated to KTVU. Daly City has earmarked $1.7 million to address the landfill debacle, with a bid for contractors underway to staunch the steady flow of rubbish rejoining modern-day beachfronts.

The National Park Service, charged with preserving these natural havens, has cautioned against unsupervised cleanup events. "Our maintenance team has been made aware and is currently determining the next steps. For the safety of our visitors, we discourage anyone from picking up garbage without the supervision of park staff," a spokesperson informed SFist.