Keep Bermuda Beautiful has again partnered with accounting firm EY Bermuda for the environmental charity’s largest annual clean-up.

This year’s Island-wide Coastal Clean-up is scheduled to start tomorrow and continue through until October 8 targeting more than 60 beaches and coastal areas across the nine parishes.

Traci Burgess, KBB’s executive director, said that the annual clean-up has been a fixture on the charity’s calendar for more than 20 years, with EY Bermuda serving as the event’s sponsor for the last eight years.

“We appreciate EY’s commitment to the environment and to creating a better working world ― one that creates sustainable and inclusive economic growth,” Ms Burgess said.

“The impact of KBB’s partnership with EY Bermuda is tremendous. The Coastal Clean-up is an opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of caring for our marine environment and tackling the global ocean pollution crisis.

“It also highlights the impact of EY’s partnership with KBB and the efforts of hundreds of volunteers who participate in the event.”

Ms Burgess added that last year’s event brought together 878 volunteers including 365 students.

Together, the team removed 15,410lb of marine debris, local litter and illegally dumped bulk waste from miles of beaches, coastal areas and even the ocean itself.

Mike Penrose, associate partner with EY Bermuda, added: “EY Bermuda is committed to taking care of our island home, and on a larger scale, our planet.

“Our EY purpose is to build a better working world and play a positive role in the communities in which we work.

“We are aligned with KBB’s key objectives ― encouraging behaviour changes that reduce waste, eliminate local litter problems, combat ocean pollution and keep Bermuda beautiful.

“These are a few of the many reasons why EY Bermuda values our partnership with KBB and why we continue to support this annual event, not only financially, but with EY staff who volunteer to participate in our company clean-ups at beaches around the island every year.”

Ms Burgess said that in addition to clearing tonnes of waste from the island’s shores, the annual clean-up helps to make the public more aware of some of the environmental issues facing the island.

“It aims to raise awareness for and help address the chronic problems Bermuda faces with littering and illegal dumping,” she said. “The event also aims to educate the public on the toxic impact that ocean pollution is having on our tiny island.

“The Coastal Clean-up collects marine debris data from Bermuda that is reported to the Ocean Conservancy, a global research and advocacy organisation that coordinates the International Coastal Clean-up every autumn.”

“Bermuda’s unique geographical location in the North Atlantic Gyre plays a critical role in identifying global patterns of waste circulating throughout our region.

“The data collected through monitoring and tracking marine debris in Bermuda helps KBB and other local and global environmental organisations develop solutions aimed at combating ocean pollution.”

• Those who are interested in joining the clean-up are invited to call KBB at 799-5142 or e-mail office@kbb.bm. For more information about the clean-up and other KBB initiatives, visit kbb.bm