Great Lakes Pollution and Cleanup

Great Lakes Pollution and Cleanup

• Dr. Seuss's book The Lorax reflected the pollution concerns of the 1960s and 1970s regarding Lake Erie. A passage about the poor water quality in Lake Erie was removed in later editions due to improvements.

• A 1972 agreement between the US and Canada aimed to clean up the Great Lakes ecosystem. Initial efforts focused on point-source pollution (pollution from a single source).

• Stricter laws limited pollutants like phosphorus and other chemicals released by factories and sewage plants. Detergents were reformulated, and industrial discharge of oil and other pollutants was restricted.

• Harmful chemicals like PCBs and DDT were also banned, contributing to environmental improvements.

• The Cuyahoga River, once prone to catching fire, improved. Algae blooms decreased, and water quality rebounded. Decreasing DDT also impacted wildlife such as bald eagles.

• Lake Ontario is a major source of drinking water for much of Ontario, Canada.

Non-Point Source Pollution

• Non-point source pollution (pollution from many sources, like rain runoff) is a significant modern challenge regarding the Great Lakes.

• Runoff carries pollutants from soil, industrial/construction sites, and old toxic waste dumps into the lakes.

• Air pollution (like mercury from coal burning) is another significant problem, contaminating water and entering the food chain. Mercury and other pollutants from air are falling into waters.

• Toxic sediment at the bottom of lakes and rivers is a major concern. This sediment is difficult and costly to remove.

• Lake Superior (the largest and deepest Great Lake) has extremely long water retention times, meaning pollutants stay in the lake for a very long time.

Solving the Problem

• Preventing pollution is seen as the best approach.

• Education programs encourage the use of fewer harmful chemicals in industry and farming, and the increased use of environmentally safer products.