Clean Up Australia volunteers copped a blast from the past when a Coke can from Expo 88 was discovered in an exclusive inner-city suburb of Brisbane.
The bright red beacon of bicentennial fun, spotted by a Queensland state MP, was just the tip of an estimated 15,600-tonne iceberg of rubbish collected by volunteers in this year's campaign.
Almost 700,000 people took part in the 26th instalment of the environmental event across more than 7000 locations.
Clean Up Australia Day founder Ian Kiernan said the ever-increasing presence of plastics, drink vessels and single-use packaging proved waste management was an ongoing challenge.
"So long as we are prepared to get involved and get our hands dirty, Clean Up events such as those of this last week will continue to make a difference," he said.
Queensland Environment Minister Steven Miles used the day to announce more than $250,000 worth of grants to tackle litter and illegal dumping around charity bins.
The NSW Labor opposition has used the annual event to renew calls for a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags.
HOW TRASHY IS YOUR STATE?
ACT
Registered sites: 112
Estimated volunteer numbers: 8081
Predicted rubbish tonnage: 245.4
NSW
Registered sites: 2780
Estimated volunteer numbers: 246,809
Predicted rubbish tonnage: 6116
NT
Registered sites: 75
Estimated volunteer numbers: 7998
Predicted rubbish tonnage: 165
QLD
Registered sites: 1435
Estimated volunteer numbers: 89,961
Predicted rubbish tonnage: 3157
SA
Registered sites: 451
Estimated volunteer numbers: 41,174
Predicted rubbish tonnage: 992.2
TAS
Registered sites: 245
Estimated volunteer numbers: 14,498
Predicted rubbish tonnage: 558.8
VIC
Registered sites: 1425
Estimated volunteer numbers: 85,027
Predicted rubbish tonnage: 3135
WA
Registered sites: 585
Estimated volunteer numbers: 62,777
Predicted rubbish tonnage: 1287
TOTAL
Registered sites: 7117
Estimated volunteer numbers: 682,245
Predicted rubbish tonnage: 15,657.4
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