A ripple effect caused by a science-arts-cultural collaboration

A synthesis of a decade of microplastics research in the Great Lakes reveals widespread contamination but highlights the need for standardized monitoring methods and risk assessment frameworks.

Plastic pollution is a full life-cycle issue, from fossil fuel extraction to end-of-life, with significant impacts on the Great Lakes and human health, requiring systemic solutions beyond just recycling.

The Clean Shores, Great Lakes project mobilized thousands of volunteers to clean up plastic litter from Tanzanian shorelines, using citizen science to identify hotspots and advocate for policy change.

Stormwater runoff studies show that low-income and commercial areas contribute significantly higher amounts of macro-litter and microplastics to the Great Lakes, highlighting the need for targeted waste management.

Research reveals that microplastics can trigger the release of substances from cyanobacteria, altering buoyancy and potentially fueling harmful algal blooms, creating a complex nexus between plastics and algae.

Heather Dettman serves as a Senior Science Advisor for Natural Resources Canada, leading research on oil spill science and petroleum products to protect water resources.

Harris Phiri, a retired fisheries director from Zambia, shares his extensive experience in Lake Tanganyika research and his passion for conservation and interacting with the global aquatic science community.

Lisa Sonnenburg manages cultural resources for the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, documenting and protecting submerged archaeological landscapes through collaboration with Indigenous communities.

The IJC's Great Lakes Science Advisory Board is developing coordinated frameworks for monitoring microplastics and assessing their ecological risks in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin.