New technologies provide rich insights on plastic pollution and strengthen efforts to protect the Great Lakes.
TORONTO - 2 April, 2025 - The Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup (GLPC), a joint initiative of Pollution Probe and the CGLR Foundation, the charitable arm of the Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR), is pleased to release data from its 2024 season. The findings showcase the initiative’s continued success in removing plastic and other debris from the Great Lakes and surrounding environment, and the important role that community science and data collection can play in informing related policy and prevention efforts. The initiative successfully removed hundreds of thousands of plastic pieces and other debris from the lakes based on an expansion to additional sites, engagement of new partners, and an increase in public awareness on plastic pollution across the Great Lakes region.
This year, the addition of mobile plastic capture technologies, such as PixieDrones, water-based remote-controlled waste collectors, and BeBots, beach-cleaning robots, provided new insights into how plastic pollution varies across different media and environments. An estimated total of 52,461 pieces of plastic and other debris were removed from sites across the Great Lakes this season alone, with the most common debris types collected being small hard fragments, small foam pieces, and cigarette butts.
"Findings from the 2024 season provide a deeper understanding of the complexity of plastic pollution in our Great Lakes,” said Melissa DeYoung, Chief Executive Officer, Pollution Probe. “The mobile technologies that we are deploying not only allow us to remove plastic from new areas and hard to reach spots, but they also encourage meaningful discussions with communities about the negative impacts plastic pollution has on our lakes, wildlife and people, and the real difference we can make when we all work together as part of initiatives like the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup.”
A significantly higher proportion of small plastic debris was collected from surface water than from shorelines, reinforcing previous findings that pointed to larger plastic items breaking down once they find their way into the lakes. Small hard plastic fragments were more prevalent on shorelines, while small foam pieces were the most common item found in the water, possibly due to the fact that they are lightweight and easily carried by wind or runoff. These insights emphasize the need for targeted interventions based on how and where plastic accumulates.
“Thanks to our local partners and funders, 2024 was another very successful year for the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup," said Lora Shrake, Interim Executive Director of the CGLR Foundation. "As a result of the waste characterizations that have been completed, we are learning a lot more about the types of plastic pollution in the Great Lakes watershed, the ways in which it is reaching the lakes, and how we can work together to stop plastic waste and litter in our communities."
As in previous years, the initiative also removed a variety of interesting items from the lakes, such as toys, fireworks, fishing and hunting gear, earplugs, and fake nails, many of which were collected by the BeBots on public beaches and along shorelines. Among the five Great Lakes, the highest average plastic count was reported for Lake Ontario, with an estimated 210 pieces per waste characterization. The top three items collected were small foam pieces, small hard fragments, and small pellets. Small debris made up 75% of the plastic reported in Lake Ontario, with the majority collected in nearshore environments.
Since its launch in 2020, the GLPC has:
Removed over 244,000 pieces of plastic and debris from the environment, including interesting finds like firework debris, toys, earplugs, and fake eyelashes! More than 70% of the plastic pieces removed are microplastics, such as small plastic fragments, foam pieces and pre-production pellets.
Mobilized 1,200+ volunteers at more than 270 volunteer events to help quantify and characterize plastic debris collected by our devices.
Created opportunities for 14 local community coordinators. These local champions gain practical skills while leading volunteer efforts and directly engaging with citizens and partners in their communities.
Collected more than 2,350 data submissions from across its network. This data is critical for better understanding the sources and types of plastic pollution found in the Great Lakes.
Deployed 160+ plastic capture devices across more than 234 locations in Canada and the U.S., including the St. Lawrence River, Lake St. Clair, and Lake Simcoe.
Collaborated with 140+ organizations, including academic institutions, community groups, government, industry, and local businesses.
Engaged nearly 29,000 people at outreach events. We’re consistently invited to join communities across the Great Lakes region to share important information about plastic pollution and to contribute to local efforts to curtail it.
Filtered an estimated 17.5 billion litres of water from the Great Lakes and its waterways using plastic capture technology.
Generated over 1.2 billion media impressions through educational campaigns, traditional and digital media coverage, video series, and more.
To learn more about the data, visit www.greatlakesplasticcleanup.org/the-data-story-so-far. Follow @GLPCleanup on social media for more findings.
About the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup
The Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup (GLPC), a joint initiative of Pollution Probe and the CGLR Foundation, the charitable arm of the Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR), 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.
Visit www.greatlakesplasticcleanup.org to learn more.
Pollution Probe is a national, not-for-profit, charitable organization that pursues environmental gains by productively working with governments, industry and the public. With a steadfast commitment to clean air, clean water and a healthy planet, Pollution Probe has been at the forefront of environmental issues and action since its inception in 1969.
CGLR, comprised of CGLR Canada, the CGLR Canada Foundation, CGLR USA, and the CGLR Foundation, is a network of charitable and non-charitable organizations in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence region focused on accelerating the regional transition to a sustainable future by uniquely bringing diverse perspectives and interests together to explore and solve our most pressing socioeconomic and environmental challenges as one North American Great Lakes region. Through its work, CGLR is striving to create the first sustainable region in the world.
For more information please contact:
Lisa Raffaele, Media Partner
Bubblegum Canada
(647) 896-0743
Abby Hansen
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR)
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