633 Divers Set World Record for Largest Underwater Cleanup

According to NOAA, billions of pounds of waste are dumped in the world's oceans every year. On June 15, a record-breaking number of divers cleaned up thousands of pounds of it from the waters off Deerfield Beach in Florida, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

The 633 divers who participated in the ocean cleanup project earned the Guinness World Record for largest underwater cleanup ever. Outfitted in wetsuits and scuba gear, they cleared up to 3200 pounds of debris from the popular shoreline. Deerfield Beach is home to a fishing pier, so much of the waste they collected was related to that activity; lead fishing weights alone contributed 1600 pounds to their haul. Other noteworthy scraps found on the seafloor included a boat ladder, a barbell, and a sign warning boats to keep their distance from the pier.

The cleanup was part of the Dixie Divers' annual pier cleanup. For this year's event, a representative of Guinness World Record was present to take an official tally of the participants. The group broke the previous record for largest underwater cleanup set by a team of 614 divers in the Red Sea four years ago.

The waters off Deerfield Beach are home to reef that supports vibrant marine life. Now that divers have beautified that patch of ocean, the city of Deerfield Beach plans to dispose of the waste properly and recycle as much of it as possible.