Overwhelming Majority of Litter Collected Around Great Lake Beaches Was Made Up of Plastic Waste

According to a new report, an overwhelming majority of litter picked up at Great Lake beaches consisted of plastic waste.

In the 20-year gap between 2003 and 2023, 86% of the waste picked up at beaches surrounding the Great Lakes was partially or fully made of plastic. This included items such as food wrappers, bottle caps, plastic bags, and more.

“The source is very local. They’re things that we leave behind that we’re all familiar with,” says Olivia Reda, volunteer engagement manager at the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

“We know that plastic is very pervasive in the environment. It’s making its way into human bodies, wildlife are also negatively impacted. They can ingest the plastic, mistake it for food, they can also get entangled.”

Read the full article here.