It’s been half a decade since Japan was struck by the most powerful earthquake known to hit, and debris is still showing up on the coast of British Columbia.

The quake, which struck exactly five years ago, on March 11, 2011, triggered a series of tsunami waves, some which were as high as 40 metres and went as far as 10 kilometres inland.

About 18,000 died in the disaster, which destroyed thousands of homes and washed tons of material into the ocean, some of which reached the west coast of North America.

The debris has been showing up in B.C. since 2012 and removal efforts will continue this spring, summer and fall.

The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, launched by Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre and WWF-Canada in 2014, received funding from the Province of B.C. to help transport volunteers and cleanup supplies to remove the waste in remote areas.

Contribution from the Government of Japan and its people also make the effort possible.

"It's a big undertaking, and the work isn't done," said Kate Le Souef, manager of the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, in a statement. "When we're out collecting these items on remote B.C. beaches, we're reminded of the scale of the human tragedy in Japan.

“It's sobering, but it's also crucial to remove man-made debris from those shorelines to prevent it from damaging our ecosystems and entangling or being ingested by animals."

Through the program, volunteers have collected, sorted and removed 19,650 kilograms of debris.

Japanese items found include fishing buoys, construction lumber, property markers, shoes, plastic bottles, plastic fishing pallets and drink bottles. Items that appear to have a personal significance are treated with respect, but most are not traceable to an individual.

"We've also noticed a huge volume of items that are not from the 2011 tsunami," continued Le Souef. "Litter comes from other man-made sources such as single use plastics and fishing materials, and it's a critical issue in all water systems across Canada.

“While debris from natural disasters is unavoidable, everyday garbage is preventable when appropriate measures are taken."

Bettina Saier, WWF-Canada's Vice President for Oceans, said that people often forget about the debris, because they don’t see it every day.

"Marine debris is one of the biggest issues facing our oceans today,” she explained. “This litter can distribute toxic chemicals throughout the oceans, snag and tear corals, and harm animals if they ingest pieces of plastic or become entangled in the debris.”

"Because of this, it's important that we do everything we can to stop the estimated 8 million tons of plastic that end up in the ocean every year.”

Saier said that adds up to enough bottles, bags, and other plastic to cover Manhattan Island ankle-deep in trash 34 times.

"Anyone in the country can join the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup and help clean up a shoreline in their own community," continued Le Souef. "It's an opportunity to clean up litter before it can ever get into our waterways."

People interested in doing their part can register online.