ABOUT THE PROJECT

Millions of kilograms of plastic reach the Great Lakes every year, doing damage to fish and wildlife, polluting the water, and affecting the millions of people who live in the region and are dependent on the largest freshwater system in the world. Research on plastic pollution pathways and long-term environmental impacts is evolving rapidly, and studies show it could cost as much as $400 million annually to manage this plastic pollution problem. 

The Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup, an initiative of Pollution Probe and the Council of the Great Lakes Region, uses innovative capture technologies to prevent and remove plastic in the Great Lakes, from the St. Lawrence River to Lake Superior and everywhere in between. By analyzing the plastic collected, the initiative provides vital information about pollution sources and pathways, while engaging local communities, government, industry, and consumers around how we can all work together to end plastic pollution. The largest initiative of its kind in North America, the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup is made possible through support from a network of funders and collaborators across the binational Great Lakes region.

The initiative employs a unique combination of technology deployment, data collection and engagement of local communities to collaboratively find meaningful solutions to a critical environmental issue facing our Great Lakes.

Since 2020, the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup has:

• Filtered over 12.2 billion litres of water using our cleanup technology to remove plastic debris

• Collected 1,800+ data submissions

• Hosted over 130+ events, and

• Engaged over 14.7 K people in our educational campaigns!

We hope to continue doing more and your support will make a difference! Learn more about Our Impact here.