Kiera Jefferson
The Great Lakes, which span 750 miles from West to East, are one of the world's largest and most important surface freshwater ecosystems. The lakes are a crucial source of potable drinking water, support wildlife and ecosystems, and are used for fishing, boating, and transportation. However, human activities have led to significant pollution in the Great Lakes, with industrial waste, agricultural runoff, sewage overflows, and plastic pollution all contributing to the problem. While efforts have been made to clean up and protect the lakes, toxic pollution remains an ongoing issue, with chemicals such as PCBs, DDT, chlordane, lead, copper, and arsenic persisting in the water. Climate change is also exacerbating the challenges faced by the Great Lakes, with rising temperatures, more frequent storms, and increased sewage overflows.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Great Lakes | 5 |
| Names of the Great Lakes | Lake Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior |
| Location | North America |
| Area Covered | 750 miles from West to East |
| Number of State/Territory Borders | 9 |
| States/Territory | Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario |
| Importance | Largest fresh water source on Earth |
| Uses | Fishing, boating, transportation of goods, crucial for wildlife and ecosystems, potable drinking source |
| Pollution Sources | Industrial waste, sewage plants, dumping and disposal sites, smokestacks, runoff from cities and farmland, microplastics, toxic pollutants, pesticides, heavy metals, nitrogen, phosphorus, oil spills, climate change |
| Impact of Pollution | Water quality, habitat degradation, biodiversity loss, toxic chemicals in food web, cancer, birth defects, damage to nervous and immune systems, decline in recreational fishing, businesses closing, disruption of municipal water supplies |
| Pollution Prevention Measures | Banning microbeads, beach cleanups, reducing single-use plastic, legislation, increasing access to water refill stations, phasing out microbeads in personal care products, blocking industrial pollution, green infrastructure |
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Plastic pollution
The Great Lakes—Lake Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior—are the largest source of freshwater on Earth. They span 750 miles from west to east and cross nine state/territory borders: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario. The lakes are crucial for wildlife and ecosystems, as well as for drinking water and other uses.
However, the Great Lakes have faced significant pollution issues, threatening the communities that rely on them. Plastic pollution is a serious problem for the Great Lakes. According to the Rochester Institute of Technology, about 22 million pounds of plastic pollution enter the Great Lakes annually. Plastic does not degrade; instead, it breaks down into smaller pieces known as "microplastics."
Microplastics have been found in high concentrations on Great Lakes beaches and in the lakes themselves. A study of 20 years of data from the Adopt-a-Beach program revealed that 86% of the litter collected on Great Lakes beaches was composed partially or entirely of plastic. Researchers have found high amounts of microplastics in all five Great Lakes, which provide drinking water for 40 million people. Microplastics have been detected in Great Lakes fish, drinking water, bottled water, and even beer.
The sources of microplastics in the Great Lakes are diverse. Much of the pollution comes from airborne particles, rather than water runoff. Single-use plastics are a major contributor, with items like plastic bags and bottles breaking down over time. Microplastics can also enter the lakes as larger pieces of plastic debris, such as fibres from clothing, or "nurdles," small pieces of plastic used to make larger products. Effluent from wastewater treatment plants, wind, and stormwater can also carry microplastics into the lakes.
The impact of microplastics on the environment and public health is a growing concern. While some studies show no ingestion-related effects, others report negative consequences for organisms that ingest microplastics, including inhibited reproduction and growth. Microplastics can absorb toxic chemicals and harbour microbes, potentially threatening human health. They have been found in human blood, organs, and breast milk. The harm caused to wildlife has been well-documented, with microplastics contaminating the food web and threatening the ecosystem.
Efforts to address plastic pollution in the Great Lakes are underway. The Adopt-a-Beach program, for instance, has thousands of volunteers who participate in shoreline cleanups, removing tens of thousands of pounds of trash, most of it plastic. Legislative action has also targeted plastic production and reduction, improved reuse systems, and advocated for extended producer responsibility. The Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 banned rinse-off cosmetics containing plastic microbeads, and a Great Lakes Marine Debris Action Plan was developed in 2020 to address marine debris through coordinated actions. While these initiatives are important steps, a more systemic approach is needed to tackle the magnitude of the Great Lakes' plastic problem.
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Industrial waste
The Great Lakes, which span more than 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) from west to east, are one of the world's largest and most important surface freshwater ecosystems. They are home to a variety of fish and wildlife species and provide services in irrigation, hydroelectricity generation, waste disposal, and commercial navigation.
Unfortunately, human activities have caused significant harm to this important body of water. Over the past two centuries, the Industrial Revolution and western settlement have dramatically changed the water quality of the Great Lakes. The lakes have suffered from pollution from industry, agriculture, and cities, with factories dumping chemical pollutants, acids, iron, and oil wastes into the waterways that flow into the lakes.
Lake Erie, in particular, has been severely impacted by industrial pollution. By the 1960s, it had become predominantly polluted, with dead fish appearing along its shoreline and national publications coining the phrase "Lake Erie is dead." The lake collects wastes and chemicals from various industrial cities, such as Detroit, which have dumped pollutants into the rivers that flow into the lake.
The Environmental Protection Agency has identified industrial waste as one of the main sources of pollution in the Great Lakes. This waste includes toxic chemicals such as ammonia and cyanide, which can kill thousands of fish. Additionally, the International Joint Commission (IJC), a U.S.-Canadian panel that monitors Great Lakes water quality, has noted the presence of raw, untreated sewage being dumped into the lakes, contributing to bacterial contamination and typhoid fever outbreaks.
Efforts have been made to address industrial pollution in the Great Lakes. The 1972 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement provided a path for Canada and the United States to jointly tackle these issues, and by 1973, industrial pollution control regulations were in place. More recently, in 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden announced a USD$1 billion investment in the cleanup and restoration of the Great Lakes.
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Sewage overflows
The Great Lakes—Lake Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior—span 750 miles from West to East and are situated across nine state/territory borders: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario. Together, the five lakes comprise the largest freshwater source on Earth.
However, the Great Lakes have faced significant pollution issues, with chemicals, toxic pollutants, pesticides, and heavy metals entering the lakes from various sources, including factory discharge pipes, sewage plants, dumping sites, smokestacks, and runoff from cities and farmland. Sewage overflows from cities are a significant contributor to the pollution of the Great Lakes.
Tens of billions of gallons of raw sewage and stormwater end up in the Great Lakes each year due to old and failing infrastructure in surrounding cities. Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) occur when stormwater mixes with sewage in the same pipe, causing a volume of water that exceeds the capacity of the system. This results in the overflow of raw sewage and stormwater into nearby water bodies, including the Great lakes. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are 166 NPDES permits issued to 158 communities, authorizing discharges from CSOs into the Great Lakes Basin.
To address this issue, the EPA has published Public Notification Requirements for Combined Sewer Overflows and has assessed the implementation status of long-term CSO control plans in the Great Lakes Basin. Additionally, the Alliance for the Great Lakes has advocated for investing in infrastructure upgrades to reduce CSOs and improve water quality.
The impact of sewage overflows on the Great Lakes is significant. Sewage contributes to nutrient pollution, particularly from phosphates, which fuel large blooms of algae. As the algae die and decompose, they deplete oxygen in the water, disrupting the ecosystem and harming aquatic life. In 2014, toxins from an algal bloom in Lake Erie forced officials in Toledo, Ohio, to shut off the public water supply for half a million people.
To mitigate the effects of sewage overflows and reduce pollution in the Great Lakes, various measures have been implemented. Cities have built sewage treatment plants, and industries have installed water filters. Governments have also invested in new sewage treatment facilities and worked with manufacturers to reduce phosphate loads in detergents and soaps.
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Climate change
One of the primary consequences of climate change in the region is the alteration of precipitation patterns. As climate change leads to more variable and extreme weather conditions, the Great Lakes are experiencing increased levels of evaporation, particularly during warmer summers. This intensifies water stress and can result in declining water levels, disrupting aquatic habitats and concentrating pollutants. Lower water levels also impact shipping and navigation, as shallower waters can hinder the passage of vessels, further affecting the region's economy and trade.
Additionally, climate change contributes to the melting of ice cover on the Great Lakes. Ice cover plays a vital role in stabilizing lake temperatures, reducing evaporation rates, and providing essential habitats for various species. With warmer winters, the extent and duration of ice cover decrease, exposing the lakes to more extreme temperatures and impacting the survival of cold-water fish species and other aquatic life. The loss of ice cover can also lead to increased coastal erosion, as waves have a greater impact on unprotected shorelines.
The impacts of climate change on the Great Lakes highlight the interconnectedness of ecological, social, and economic systems. Declining water quality and ecosystem health not only affect the biodiversity and resilience of the lakes but also the livelihoods and well-being of the communities that depend on them. It underscores the urgency of implementing adaptive management strategies and sustainable practices to mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure the long-term health and sustainability of the Great Lakes basin.
To address the challenges posed by climate change, collaborative efforts are required across international, regional, and local scales. This includes implementing measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as adapting to the changing conditions through sustainable water management practices, habitat restoration, and the protection of vulnerable species. By recognizing the complex interactions between climate change and the Great Lakes, we can develop more effective strategies to safeguard these invaluable freshwater resources for current and future generations.
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Oil spills
The Great Lakes—Lake Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior—are the largest source of fresh surface water for almost 40 million people. The lakes span 750 miles from West to East and are situated across nine state/territory borders: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario.
The Great Lakes are a hub of commercial and recreational activity, providing spots for fishing, boating, and other popular recreational activities. They also serve as an important mode of transportation for goods. The lakes are crucial for wildlife and ecosystems and provide an important source of potable drinking water.
However, the Great Lakes have faced significant pollution issues, including oil spills. Oil production in the north-central United States and western Canada has increased rapidly since 2010, and the transport of crude oil near or through the Great Lakes region via pipelines and rail has expanded as well. Pipelines are the dominant mode of crude oil transport through or near the Great Lakes basin. The Detroit River, for example, falls victim to chemical hazardous waste dumping, including oil spills.
The Great Lakes region faces unique challenges in responding to oil spills. The available research on oil spill response techniques is mostly focused on saltwater environments, creating knowledge gaps about the impacts and effectiveness of freshwater oil spill cleanup techniques. Additionally, the Great Lakes are an ostensibly enclosed environment, which means that oil and petroleum products may take many years to dissipate naturally. Responding to oil spills in icy conditions, which can make detection and cleanup more difficult, is another challenge.
To address these challenges, organizations like the Great Lakes Oil Spill Center of Expertise (GLCOE) and the Coast Guard (USCG) Office of Marine Environmental Response Policy have been established to improve preparedness and response capabilities for oil spills in the region. Despite these efforts, oil spills continue to pose a risk to the Great Lakes, and updated response strategies are needed to lessen their potential impacts.
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Frequently asked questions
All five of the Great Lakes are polluted to some extent.
The Great Lakes are polluted by plastic, chemicals, toxic pollutants, pesticides, heavy metals, sewage, and agricultural waste.
Pollution in the Great Lakes comes from industrial waste, sewage overflows, runoff from cities, farming, and mining operations.
Pollution has led to poorer water quality, habitat degradation, biodiversity loss, and health risks for humans and wildlife, including cancer, birth defects, and damage to the nervous and immune systems.
Efforts to address pollution in the Great Lakes include legislation, clean-up initiatives, improved sewage treatment, reduced phosphate loads in detergents, and advocacy for green infrastructure and climate resilience.
