Chicago Tribune Reports on Escalating Plastic Pollution in Great Lakes and Health Concerns
The Chicago Tribune has published an investigative report detailing the severe and escalating plastic pollution in the Great Lakes, a vital source of drinking water for over 40 million people in the U.S. and Canada. The report highlights that treated lake water is contaminated with microplastics—tiny plastic bits linked to toxic chemicals that can cause cancer and other diseases. Fish, a dietary staple for many communities, are also contaminated. Despite these dangers, plastic pollution remains unregulated, and manufacturers are planning to significantly increase plastic production in the U.S. The Tribune's review of government, scientific, and internal industry documents reveals that industry executives have historically blamed consumers for the pollution, employing tactics similar to those used by the tobacco industry. Scientists are particularly concerned about microplastics' potential to trigger heart and brain diseases, impaired fertility, premature births, certain cancers, and developmental problems ... 
