Great Lakes of Plastic!

Microplastics get everywhere. They're in the environment, in the food we eat, in our lungs and even in a baby's placental blood and milk. Plastic is even the main constituent of most chewing gums. Plastics are petroleum products that can take hundreds of years to break down. A decade-long University of Toronto study, has now revealed that 90% of Great Lakes water samples contained unsafe levels of microplastics. Twenty percent of these samples, were at the hishest level of risk (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/17/great-lakes-water-microplastic-pollution-contamination). The Toronto University study, seemed to 'point the finger' at microfibres from washing machines. Clothes made from synthetic fibres do give off plastic microfibres but these can be easily removed by fitting washing machine water discharges with filters. The Toronto scientists suggest that the US and Canadian governments must take urgent action. Washing machines are not, however, the only sources of environmental microplastics. These pollutants are also generated by cars and trucks. They are produced by tyres and braking systems of the vehicles. These microparticles collect on road surfaces and are easily washed by rainfall into surrounding watercourses. These tiny particles can also be blown on the wind from distant locations. Electric vehicles probably generate more microplastics than petrol (gas) and diesel-powered equivalents. Their batteries make them heavier. It will be extremely difficult to protect the Great Lakes (or anywhere else) from this source of plastic pollution.