Nantucket Litter Derby
Photography by bill hoenk
Dozens of volunteers fanned out across Nantucket over the weekend for the 5th annual Nantucket Litter Derby. This year’s cleanup yielded record-breaking results, surpassing previous records inboth the number of participants and the quantity of litter collected in previous years. Over the course of one-and-a-half days, 23 teams of picker-uppers collected 11.5 tons, or 23,000 pounds, of litter from the island’s beaches, parks, and roadsides. Volunteers focused their efforts on removing 9,380 pounds of non-recyclables, 5,560 pounds of metal, 3,200 pounds of glass recyclables, 1,880 pounds of wood pallets, 1,800 pounds of aluminum, and 1,200 pounds of plastic recyclables — all of which pose a serious threat to wildlife and ecosystems. Around 75 pounds of glass and plastic nip bottles and 46 rubber tires were also collected. As in previous years, this weekend’s cleanup unearthed an assortment of peculiar items including a hockey goal, a wine fridge, a dishwasher, and even a stolen laptop that was returned to its rightful owner.
