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Lake Michigan plastic pollution poses ecological and social threats
As advocates push for clarity within Evanston’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan, local researchers and advocates are raising alarm about the growing social and ecological effects of plastic pollution in Lake Michigan.
According to a study from the Rochester Institute of Technology, 11 million pounds of plastic – the equivalent of 100 Olympic-sized swimming pools full of plastic bottles – are entering Lake Michigan each year. Scientists say this plastic threatens the lake’s wildlife and ecosystems, as well as the over 10 million people who rely on it for drinking water.
“We’re starting to see (plastic) creep into a lot of different parts of the food web,” Jaclyn Wegner, the director of Conservation Action at the Shedd Aquarium, said.