A ripple effect caused by a science-arts-cultural collaboration: Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes watershed

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.