Taking their part in 2016 International Coastal Cleanup

WAIMEA — Seventy-five Hawaii Preparatory Academy students in fourth, fifth and seventh grades, along with their teachers and parent volunteers, participated in the annual International Coastal Cleanup in mid-September, sponsored by The Ocean Conservancy.

The students focused their efforts at the Kawaihae Small Boat Harbor, Pua Ka Ilima o Kawaihae Surf Park and Spencer Beach Park, gathering about 138 pounds of debris, including 3,237 glass, plastic, or foam pieces; 1,982 cigarette butts, 627 bottle caps, 272 beverage bottles and cans, and 208 yards of fishing line. They also gathered one fishing buoy and 48 construction items.

Seventh graders analyzed and documented their findings, which were submitted to The Ocean Conservancy for its annual report, The Ocean Trash Index.

For almost 30 years, The Ocean Conservancy has been bringing together volunteers to contribute to a vision for trash-free seas. The International Coastal Cleanup is the largest volunteer effort to clean up waterways and the ocean. In 2015, nearly 800,000 volunteers collected more than 18 million pounds of trash.

Info: www.oceanconservancy.org/our-work/international-coastal-cleanup/