Marine Biologist Benjamin Kay, with his family, collects trash at Santa Monica Beach after the “First Flush” Monday, December 28, 2020.The “first flush” of the storm drains is an annual event every fall or winter. The first heavy rain causes massive amounts of water and trash to flow out of the storm drains, onto the beach, and hours later, into the ocean. As a result, there is an enormous amount of plastic and urban runoff that is brought to the coastline, and this month was no different. After the first heavy rainfall hit the Los Angeles area this morning of December 28, garbage lodged in catch basins from all over the city was shuttled to the ocean shore.