Monitoring, Ecological Risk Assessment, and Management of Microplastics in the Laurentian Great Lakes

Plastic pollution is increasing in the Great Lakes, and growing evidence points to its negative ecological, human health and socioeconomic impacts. However, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement does not address the status of plastic pollution through the Canadian and US governments’ triennial State of the Great Lakes reports.

The IJC’s Great Lakes Science Advisory Board’s Monitoring, Ecological Risk Assessment, and Management of Microplastics in the Laurentian Great Lakes project synthesized recent advances and knowledge in plastics science relevant to the Great Lakes, developed a framework for monitoring plastic pollution in the Great Lakes that would support its use as a subindicator in the Agreement, and developed a risk assessment framework for plastic pollution in the Great Lakes focused on ecological effects. The project report offers an evidence-based framework to consider how microplastics could be included as an indicator of Great Lakes health to inform management and policy decisions.

On February 12th the board hosted a webinar to present the report's findings and recommendations.