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EY Coastal Clean-up set for next month

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EY employees collect debris from the shoreline during last year’s coastal clean-up (Photograph supplied)

Bermuda will once again join a global effort next month to reduce ocean pollution.

The EY Bermuda Coastal Clean-up in support of environmental charity Keep Bermuda Beautiful will be held on September 16.

KBB executive director Anne Hyde said: “More people are becoming aware the problems of trash and ocean pollution and want to do something about it.”

A KBB statement added that the annual island-wide event provides an opportunity to enjoy time combing the beach, snorkelling or diving to remover litter and marine debris and maintain Bermuda’s beaches and coastline known for being beautiful and pristine.

The event coincides with the 32nd International Coastal Clean-up and people all over the world will take part in similar events on the same day.

Participants are asked to be “citizen scientists” and categorise and tally each piece of litter collected on a data collection card.

This information will be sent on to environmental advocacy group Ocean Conservancy’s headquarters in Washington D.C.

According to Ocean Conservancy, 112 countries took part in last year’s event and more than 504,500 volunteers picked up over 18 million pounds of trash worldwide.

In Bermuda, 429 people in 31 locations cleaned up more than 8,151lbs of debris from the shoreline.

One of the most unusual items found was a 50-pound tangle of the strapping used to secure goods to wooden pallets for shipping.

This year’s EY Bermuda Coastal Clean-up will kick off at title sponsor EY’s offices on Bermudiana Road with a visit from KBB’s mascot, the Litter Critter.

Additional sponsorship is provided by Butterfield Bank, BGA and Butterfield & Vallis. EY Bermuda teams will be at Tobacco Bay in St George’s and Horseshoe Bay in Southampton.

Butterfield Bank employees will tackle Warwick Long Bay, while Butterfield & Vallis have chosen a location on North Shore in Devonshire.

Jessel Mendes, EY-BBC partner and regional growth markets leader, said: “We are delighted to, once again, play such an important role in maintaining the beauty of the island.

“Having participated with my family and colleagues in the past, it is so rewarding knowing that you are making an immediate difference.

“Please come out and join KBB and EY in this important and fun community event.”

The clean-up is billed “as an event for everyone” and students can earn credit for community service.

Ms Hyde added that people can join up as a team of family, friends and colleagues and can pick a location or ask KBB to help choose one.

She added: “Individuals are also welcome to join the event but you must register and find out when to pick up supplies and the data collection cards.

“There is a list of suggested locations, but these are only suggestions. It does not necessarily mean that there will be a team at every location on the list.

“That is why it’s important to contact KBB, so you know where to help out on the day of the event. ”

Participants will be provided with event T-shirts, trash bags, blue recycling bags, disposable gloves, data collection cards and instructions.

Volunteers are asked to bring along their own reusable drink container this year and the team leaders will provide a cooler and ice.

The collected debris will be trucked away by hired truckers as well as Department of Parks.

Volunteers can sign up for the event through KBB’s website www.kbb.bm or by calling 295-5142.

Last year, 429 people in 31 locations cleaned up more than 8,151lbs of debris from Bermuda’s shoreline. This group tackled Glass Beach in Dockyard (Photograph supplied)
The Litter Critter visits the EY office on Bermudiana Road to kick off last year’s coastal clean-up (Photograph supplied)