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Kurt Lieber, president and founder of the nonprofit Ocean Defenders Alliance, explains procedures for removing tires and debris from the sea floor. Volunteers split up into two crews working below and above the water. Lieber says the abandoned tires contain over 100 chemicals that leach into the water over time.

Divers and crew members gather at the end of the Kaneohe Bay Harbor Master’s dock to prepare to remove tires and old fishing line from the sea floor.

Ed Sisino does a safety check on diving gear before he and other volunteers gear up for the jump into the water.

Glenn Roberts brings a bucket of debris up from the ocean floor to the surface to hand off to ground crew volunteers.

So many tires at the bottom of Kaneohe Bay.

Kaneohe Bay Harbormaster Tanya Borabora works with Ocean Defense Alliance volunteers Sophie Morgan and  Garrett Cook to haul tires retrieved by divers on to the dock.

Tires collected during the Kaneohe Bay cleanup will be picked up and taken away for incineration. Ocean Defense Alliance volunteers were able to procure a fee waiver from the city to have the tires disposed of at no cost.

Marjorie Zensen sprays off her husband Mark England after the cleanup dive.

This event marked the first time anyone had organized an effort to remove debris from the bay.

Fifteen divers from shops around Oahu and 11 ground crew members on the dock participated in the cleanup.