Volunteers working with the environmental charity Keep Bermuda Beautiful have collected more than 45,000 pounds of litter and bulk waste so far this year.

KBB is gearing up for another busy month ahead, with 23 pick-up events planned for the second half of April in celebration of Earth Week.

More than 730 volunteers took part in 54 clean-ups in the first three months of the year, primarily around the island’s coastline.

This year’s KBB Great Big Bermuda Clean-Up campaign — sponsored by the insurance company BF&M — kicks off on Monday, April 17 in Pembroke, with 23 clean-up operations planned across the island throughout the week. Corporate groups, schools and community organisations will be taking part.

The campaign will reach a climax with a major clean-up in Smith’s Parish through Flatts Inlet and Harrington Sound on Sunday, April 23. KBB is expecting 200 volunteers to attend that event.

The charity has teamed up with Wilmot’s Trucking and several Smith’s-based organisations, including the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo, Bermuda Zoological Society, Whitney Institute Middle School, X-Roads Youth Football Club, Harrington Sound Workmen’s Club, Smith’s Parish Council and area MPs.

Traci Burgess, the executive director of KBB, said: “Bermuda has a chronic problem with littering, illegal dumping and ocean pollution. It is unsightly, unsanitary and causes damage to human health and to the environment.

“The Great Big Bermuda Clean-Up is a fitting example of community action that helps combat the problem and supports KBB leading the way to a cleaner, greener, healthier and more beautiful Bermuda.

“KBB is grateful for BF&M’s commitments to the environment and to the community, and we thank the BF&M team for their generous sponsorship of the 2023 campaign

“We appreciate BF&M’s corporate values and sustainability goals, especially those that support KBB’s mission to reduce waste, eliminate litter and beautify the island through action and education.

“KBB thanks everyone who cares for the environment and makes a difference by keeping Bermuda clean and beautiful. KBB’s impact is amplified by the support of our corporate partners, volunteers, government collaborations and community partnerships.

“We look forward to continuing to work together across all sectors of the community as we expand KBB’s reach and strive towards our litter prevention and improved waste management goals for the entire island.”

Stephanie Hanson, the group chief operating officer of BF&M, said that the company recognised the importance of preserving the environment for future generations.

She said: “We are proud to partner with KBB as the title sponsor for the Great Big Bermuda Clean-Up. Working together, we can make a positive impact on our island home, helping to keep Bermuda beautiful and a healthy place to live.

“We look forward to being part of this important initiative and doing our part to create a more sustainable future.”

For more information on this year’s campaign, visit www.kbb.bm. For additional details, follow KBB’s social media channels and subscribe to the charity’s newsletter on its website.