As part of the EY Coastal Cleanup in support of Keep Bermuda Beautiful, more than 90 Saltus Grammar School students and their families, staff and alums turned out on September 17 to clean up John Smith’s Bay.

Organiser Erika Powell, an S4 teacher and year co-ordinator as well as an alumna, said: “In total, we collected the equivalent of 29 bags of regular trash and 24 bags of recyclables, plus a few bulky items — including a bicycle, which was taken home by a student to be repaired.”

Anne Hyde, KBB executive director, said: “On behalf of KBB, we are incredibly proud of the Saltus team this year.

“The school’s commitment to ‘adopt’ John Smith’s Bay and come out in full support to do beach clean-ups is fantastic.

“Several years ago, through the efforts of Erika Powell, Saltus joined KBB’s Adopt-a-Spot Programme and the school made a commitment to clean up this beach on a regular basis.”

Anne Hyde explained that Bermuda’s EY Coastal Clean-up in support of KBB is part of a global event — Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Clean-up — in which about 90 countries participate.

“Ocean Conservancy is a global organisation based in Washington,” she said.

“Bermuda is able to gather data each year. This data is useful to see where Bermuda stands next to other countries, but also to see the statistics for Bermuda year after year and if things are getting better or worse.”

Saltus volunteers — like those at other coastal areas island-wide — recorded the types of trash that were being collected on Ocean Trash Data Forms put out by this group.

This included plastic bottles, cans, cigarette butts, plastic and metal bottle caps, fishing line and glass pieces.