Programme adviser Zuraidah Atan said the amount included 40kg of various types of rubbish collected by 20 divers within an hour of diving.

“Plastic bottles, ropes, shoes and slippers are among the many items collected from the bottom of the 10m-deep coral reef and there are still many that have not been collected.

“The types of rubbish collected from the beach are cigarette butts, plastic bottles, drink cans and others,” she told reporters after the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Aware Dive Against Debris programme on the island yesterday.

The programme, which involved 100 volunteers, including professional divers, was organised together with Yayasan Salam Malaysia and Black Eye Scuba Team through Sea Daddy Diver Services.

According to Zuraidah, all waste was collected, measured, segregated, weighed and recorded following the standard operating procedures (SOP) established by PADI.

“The data obtained is shared with the PADI Global Database and with government agencies or authorities such as the fisheries department for research purposes,” she said.

She added that the programme, which was supported by various agencies as well as the state and central governments, was carried out in an effort to cultivate the spirit of caring for the environment, especially for marine conservation and beach cleanliness.