Steve Howe
Feb 7, 2025
Candy wrappers. Cigarette butts. Chip bags.
The litter you see on the side of the street doesn’t just present a public nuisance where it’s dropped. It’s one of the more serious emerging pollution threats to the Great Lakes, which have a long history of manmade threats and restoration efforts.
Candy wrappers. Cigarette butts. Chip bags.
The litter you see on the side of the street doesn’t just present a public nuisance where it’s dropped. It’s one of the more serious emerging pollution threats to the Great Lakes, which have a long history of manmade threats and restoration efforts.
Microplastics are formed in a number of different ways, not the least of which is the breakdown of trash in the environment. Bits of plastic smaller than 5 mm long, they are the most prevalent type of marine debris found in the Great Lakes. Nearly 22 million pounds of plastic debris enter the lakes each year, according to research by RIT.