Cans, paper cups and umbrellas are still to be found on Horseshoe Bay, the island’s most popular beach — despite the best efforts of a recent Keep Bermuda Beautiful Clean-up Day.

By Monday this week, Horseshoe Bay had again been a victim of inconsiderate beachgoers.

Anne Hyde, executive director of KBB, said she believed the recent littering was an isolated case.

Ms Hyde said: “I am glad that the littering area was small and could easily be cleaned up before it washed out to sea.

“Our island is not plagued with litter like so many other jurisdictions and this sets Bermuda above other locations. Rather than relying on Government to clean up after us all, we could take an active part in cleaning up.”

She said it was difficult to tell who was responsible for this week’s mess, and that it may have been from a trash can that was tipped over.

However, the Ministry of Environment attributed it to “windy weather conditions” that may have caused the debris to wash ashore.

“Horseshoe Beach has a regular grooming schedule,” said a Ministry spokesperson. “However, changes in weather can affect the beach.”

Ms Hyde complimented the hard work of staff at Horseshoe Bay, having observed their efforts to keep the beach clean last summer, while providing each beachgoer with “a good experience”.

The Department of Parks assisted in the effort by emptying the trash cans and raking the beach to “keep Bermuda’s top-rated beach in good shape”.

Horseshoe Bay staff have also been working with KBB and members of Green Bermuda Co-operative by using more “green, earth-friendly” products when serving food and drink. Cardboard containers have replaced plastic or styrofoam, and aluminium cans, which are 100 per cent recyclable and easily spotted in the ocean, are being used instead of plastic cups.

A constant effort is needed in order to maintain Bermuda’s beaches.

Ms Hyde said: “It only takes one group of thoughtless people to leave behind a pile of debris, which mars the beauty of the beach and poses a real threat to the lives of turtles and fish — they die by ingesting trash or getting entangled in it when it reaches the ocean.”

During the Mother’s Day weekend, the charity hosted an island-wide clean-up event, “Clean Up for the America’s Cup”, during which they rallied together with residents to pick up trash in preparation for the big event.

Ms Hyde said that it was “a big success”, with reports coming from all across the island. Their recent campaign marked the first time the charity had mailed trash bags to every resident in an effort to encourage people to do their part in making the island “look her best when the world would have all eyes on Bermuda”.

Hundreds answered the call with families, various teams and first-time volunteers helping to spruce up every parish.

As a result, Ms Hyde said the estimated tonnes of trash collected had exceeded “all other KBB Spring Clean-ups in the past five years”.