# Waste removal in Yellowstone hydrothermal features > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/waste-removal-in-yellowstone-hydrothermal-features > Updated: 2026-09-22T00:32:23.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 2. Conservation crews in Yellowstone National Park have removed a record amount of debris from the park’s hydrothermal features during the 2026 season. As of early September, teams recovered over 20,100 pieces of paper and plastic, 5,600 rocks and sticks, and more than 280 hats from locations including the Old Faithful geyser and Midway Geyser Basin. This represents a roughly 50 percent increase in waste compared to the previous year, which officials attribute to high visitor numbers. Environmental specialists warned that the accumulation of waste, including synthetic polymers and heavy metals, can clog subterranean conduits and block heated reservoir waters from rising naturally. Such blockages threaten the biological microorganisms and microbial mats that rely on specific thermal ranges. Refuse has also caused visible landscape changes, such as in the Morning Glory Pool. Blockages in thermal passages can cause temperature drops that shift the pool’s appearance from its historic deep blue to rings of green and ochre. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-22: Yellowstone National Park removes 20,000 waste items from thermal springs Yellowstone National Park crews have removed over 20,000 items of trash from hydrothermal vents to prevent chemical contamination and protect the thermal balance of geothermal features. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/yellowstone-national-park-removes-20000-waste-items-from-thermal-springs ### 2026-09-18: Yellowstone National Park recovers record amount of trash from hydrothermal features Yellowstone National Park's geology team has removed a record 20,100 pieces of trash and 280 hats from hydrothermal features this season to protect the fragile ecosystem. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/yellowstone-national-park-recovers-record-amount-of-trash-from-hydrothermal-features --- Cite as: Waste removal in Yellowstone hydrothermal features. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/waste-removal-in-yellowstone-hydrothermal-features