Meghan Hodges
The Great Lakes, which span 750 miles from West to East and are situated across 9 state/territory borders, are the largest source of fresh water on Earth. They are used for fishing, boating, transportation, and as a source of drinking water for 40 million people. However, human activities have led to significant pollution in the Great Lakes, with Lake Erie being the most affected due to heavy industrial activities in the region. Pollution enters the lakes through various pathways, including industrial waste, agricultural runoff, sewage, and plastic pollution. Plastic pollution is a significant issue, with more than 22 million pounds of plastic entering the lakes annually, breaking down into microplastics that are ingested by wildlife and can end up in our drinking water. Climate change has also impacted the lakes, causing increased water temperatures, lowered water levels, and more frequent storms leading to sewage overflows.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Types of Pollution | Industrial, agricultural, and urban pollution, plastic pollution, chemical pollution, microplastic pollution, and waste disposal |
| Pollutants | Road salt, oil, gasoline, lead, pesticides, fertilizers, microbeads, trash, factory pollutants, sewage, and road salt |
| Affected Lakes | Lake Erie, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, and Lake Superior |
| Impact | Poor water quality, habitat degradation, biodiversity loss, and potential harm to human health |
| Solutions | Sewage plants, water filters, legislation against plastic pollution, increased data collection, and beach cleanups |
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What You'll Learn
Industrial pollution
The Great Lakes have long been a source of raw materials, such as timber, coal, and iron, that have fuelled industrial development in the region. This industrial activity has come at a cost to the lakes themselves. By the 1960s, the effects of industrial pollution were becoming starkly apparent, with rivers like the Cuyahoga, Buffalo, and Chicago so contaminated that they caught fire. Lake Erie, in particular, had become predominantly polluted by this time due to the heavy industrial presence along its shores.
Various pollutants have been introduced into the Great Lakes from industrial sources. Factories have dumped acids, iron, oil wastes, and chemical pollutants into the waterways that feed into the lakes. For example, the Cuyahoga River, which flows through Cleveland, Ohio, and into Lake Erie, became so polluted that it caught fire in 1969, bringing national attention to the issue of water pollution.
The release of toxic chemicals from industrial sites has also posed a significant threat to aquatic life in the Great Lakes. Certain chemicals, such as ammonia and cyanide, have the potential to kill thousands of fish. Additionally, the discharge of raw sewage and waste from industrial agriculture has led to increased nitrogen levels in the lakes, contributing to harmful algal blooms. These blooms can produce toxins that impact both aquatic life and the drinking water supply for millions of people.
Efforts have been made to mitigate the damage and reduce pollution in the Great Lakes. Cities surrounding Lake Erie have built sewage plants, and industries have installed water filters to try to slow down the deterioration of the lake's ecosystem. However, the persistence of certain chemicals and the continued introduction of new pollutants by industries present ongoing challenges in the fight to restore and protect the Great Lakes.
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Agricultural pollution
Farms are the main source of nutrient pollution in the Great Lakes, and reducing farm runoff pollution is key to preventing algal blooms and restoring the health of the lakes. However, there are currently limited regulations in place to address this issue. Organizations like the Alliance for the Great Lakes are advocating for mandatory regulations to reduce nutrient pollution and protect drinking water sources.
In addition to nutrient pollution, agricultural activities also contribute to sediment and chemical pollution in the Great Lakes. Landowners have filled in wetlands around the lakes, releasing carbon dioxide and altering the natural landscape. The use of pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture can also lead to chemical runoff, contaminating drinking water sources and impacting aquatic ecosystems.
The impact of agricultural pollution is evident in Lake Erie, where industrial and agricultural activities have historically dominated its watershed. Efforts have been made to mitigate the damage, such as the construction of sewage plants and the installation of water filters. However, the long-term effects of agricultural pollution on the Great Lakes highlight the importance of implementing sustainable practices and regulations to protect these vital sources of freshwater.
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Urban pollution
The Great Lakes, which include Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario, are a crucial source of freshwater for North America. They provide drinking water for 40 million people and support a diverse range of ecosystems and wildlife. Unfortunately, these lakes have been severely impacted by human activities and pollution, particularly from urban and industrial sources.
Another significant form of urban pollution in the Great Lakes is the discharge of chemicals and toxic pollutants from industrial and municipal sources. In the past, factories along the shores of the lakes, particularly Lake Erie, released a range of pollutants into the water. This included acids, iron, oil, and chemical wastes. The lack of sufficient government oversight in the Great Lakes Basin allowed these pollutants to go unchecked, leading to a decline in water quality and ecological damage. Even today, industrial activities continue to contribute to the pollution of the Great Lakes, although there have been efforts to reduce and regulate these pollutants.
Additionally, urban areas surrounding the Great Lakes contribute to pollution through stormwater runoff. When it rains, pollutants from the air and urban surfaces are washed into the lakes. This includes road salt, oil, gasoline, and other contaminants. Urban development and human activities also increase the amount of trash and plastic pollution that finds its way into the lakes. Single-use plastics, microplastics, and other forms of litter have been found in significant quantities during shoreline cleanups, posing a threat to wildlife and drinking water sources.
The impact of urban pollution on the Great Lakes has been devastating. In the case of Lake Erie, the combination of industrial and municipal wastes led to the lake's premature degradation, with fish kills and hazardous swimming conditions in the 1960s. Even with subsequent efforts to reduce pollution and improve water quality, the long-term effects of these pollutants persist. It is crucial to address urban pollution and implement measures to protect and restore the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem.
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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 are situated across nine state/territory borders: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario. The Great Lakes provide a habitat for a rich variety of wildlife and ecosystems, and they also serve as a source of potable drinking water for millions of people.
Unfortunately, the Great Lakes have faced severe pollution problems, largely due to human activities. Lake Erie, in particular, had become predominantly polluted by the 1960s due to heavy industrialization along its shores. Factories dumped chemical pollutants, waste, pesticides, fertilizers, and other agricultural runoff into the lake and the waterways that flowed into it. This led to the death of fish and made swimming hazardous along the lake's front, causing experts to warn about the lake's premature death.
One of the significant contributors to the pollution in the Great Lakes is plastic pollution. More than 22 million pounds of plastic pollution end up in the Great Lakes every year, according to the Rochester Institute of Technology. Plastic does not easily degrade; instead, it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces known as "microplastics." These microplastics have been found in alarmingly high concentrations in all five Great Lakes, posing a serious threat to the environment and public health.
Microplastics have been detected in Great Lakes fish, drinking water, bottled water, and even beer. A study of three Lake Michigan tributaries found that 85% of the fish sampled had microplastics in their digestive tracts. Microplastics can also be absorbed by animals through drinking lake water, ingesting sediment, or simply coming into contact with it as it floats through the ecosystem. This contamination has the potential to harm the communities that rely on the lakes for food, water, and income, threatening the jobs and the ecosystem of over 3,500 species of plants and animals.
The sources of microplastics in the Great Lakes are diverse. They can come from the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic litter, such as bottles and bags, as well as from "nurdles," small pieces of plastic used in the production of larger plastic products. Single-use plastics are a major contributor, with items like tiny plastic pieces, cigarette butts, foam pieces, plastic bottle caps, and food wrappers being commonly found during beach cleanups. Microbeads, tiny plastic particles used in personal care products like facial scrubs, soaps, and shampoos, have also been identified as a source of microplastic pollution.
Efforts are being made to combat plastic pollution in the Great Lakes. Volunteers with the Alliance's Adopt-a-Beach program have been working tirelessly to remove trash, with about 85% of the collected litter being plastic. Additionally, legislation is being supported to address plastic production and reduction, improve reuse systems, and enhance data collection for policymaking. Illinois has been at the forefront of these efforts, banning microbeads in personal care products and addressing plastic reduction and reuse systems.
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Microplastics
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 are situated across nine state/territory borders: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario. The Great Lakes are a crucial source of potable drinking water for the country, supporting 300,000 jobs and an ecosystem of over 3,500 species of plants and animals.
However, the Great Lakes are heavily polluted by microplastics. Microplastics are plastic particles under 5 millimeters in size. They are formed when plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces. Microplastics have been found in all five Great Lakes, threatening the drinking water supply of more than 40 million people.
The presence of microplastics in the Great Lakes poses a significant threat to the environment and public health. Studies have shown that animals that come into contact with microplastics may experience developmental delays, reduced mental processing, infertility, and weakened immune systems. Ingested microplastics can fill an animal's stomach, giving it a false sense of fullness without providing any nutrition. Microplastics have also been found to absorb toxic chemicals and harbor potentially dangerous microbes.
While beach cleanups and volunteer efforts, such as the Alliance's Adopt-a-Beach program, have helped remove tens of thousands of pounds of trash from the Great Lakes, a more systemic solution is needed to address the magnitude of the plastic problem. Legislative actions, such as the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 and the phase-out of microbeads in personal care products, are important steps in reducing plastic pollution. Additionally, cities like Chicago have started installing filters on storm drains and sewage systems to catch macro and microplastics. However, experts emphasize that reducing plastic production and usage is crucial to curbing the flow of microplastics into the Great Lakes.
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Frequently asked questions
The Great Lakes are a collection of 5 lakes: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. They span 750 miles from West to East and are situated across 9 state/territory borders: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario. They are the largest source of fresh water on Earth, accounting for 84% of North America's surface fresh water and 21% of the world's.
The Great Lakes are polluted by a variety of human activities, including industrial, agricultural, and urban pollution. This includes chemical pollutants, waste, pesticides, fertilizer, oil, gasoline, and road salt. Plastic pollution is also a serious problem, with more than 22 million pounds of plastic entering the lakes every year. Microplastics, in particular, are a concern as they can be ingested by wildlife and humans, potentially affecting brain development and reproductive systems.
Pollution enters the Great Lakes through a variety of pathways. Rain and melting snow wash pollutants into the water. Human activities such as fishing, farming, and the use of personal care products can also introduce pollutants. For example, anglers may lose lead sinkers, farmers may use pesticides and fertilizers that eventually enter the water, and microbeads from soaps and toothpastes are common. Trash and other large pieces of waste are also often blown, fallen, or washed into the water.
Efforts to address pollution in the Great Lakes have been made at the individual, community, and policy levels. For example, the Alliance for the Great Lakes' Adopt-a-Beach program has thousands of volunteers who participate in shoreline cleanups, removing tens of thousands of pounds of trash each year. Policy solutions have also been implemented, such as legislation in Illinois that addresses plastic production and reduction, improves reuse systems, and provides better data for policymaking.
