Microplastics

More than 22 million pounds of plastic pollution end up in the Great Lakes every year. And it never really goes away. Instead, it just breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces known as “microplastics.”

Visit our campaign page to see how you can be part of the solution. Learn more about microplastics below.

Blog

April 4, 2025

Plastic Reduction Bills Could Make Big Impact in Illinois

Illinoisans are sending a clear message to their representatives: keep plastic out of the Great Lakes and our drinking water. This year, they’ve sent over 1,200 messages (and counting!) to […]

Blog

March 21, 2025

Great Lakes Scientists Support Illinois Bill to Protect Drinking Water from Plastic Microfibers

More than 30 Great Lakes scientists have called on Illinois legislators to establish a science-based standard for capturing plastic microfibers released from washing machines. By setting a standard, not a […]

Press Release

March 25, 2024

New Bill to Protect Great Lakes, Drinking Water from Microplastics Receives Support from Environmental Groups

CHICAGO, IL (March 25, 2024) – Last week on World Water Day, the Alliance for the Great Lakes, Ocean Conservancy, Illinois Environmental Council, and Loyola University scientists held a press […]

Blog

October 17, 2022

Why the Great Lakes Need Comprehensive Solutions to Plastic Pollution

This post is by Sofia Johansson, who worked as the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Public Policy and Governance Intern this summer. She is a third-year Environmental and Urban Studies […]

Podcast

May 31, 2022

Dr. Sherri Mason – Plastic Pollution

Dr. Sherri Mason, is a leading expert on plastic pollution. Her award-winning work has drawn international attention to the threat of microplastics in our waters and led to the passage […]

50th Anniversary

October 4, 2020

Toxic Contamination Past and Present: Creating a Legacy

We’re making progress on cleaning up the toxic legacy of the past, when the Great Lakes fueled the industrial heartland. But new threats are emerging, calling for new solutions. For […]

BLOG

April 22, 2017

Microplastics = Major Problem

By: Nate Drag, Alliance for the Great Lakes Water Project Manager Every year since joining the Alliance, I have made an extra trip to my hometown in western New York on […]