Wildlife Over Waste

Beach cleanup to protect Lake Michigan

The plastic pollution problem is widespread in the Great Lakes region. At a beach cleanup at Chicago's North Avenue beach in May of 2024 participants picked up litter including lots of bits of plastic.

Staff | TPIN
Environment Illinois staff and volunteers held a beach cleanup at Chicago's North Avenue Beach in May of 2024.

On May 19, volunteers and staff with Environment Illinois spent a few hours at Chicago’s North Avenue beach picking up litter. The beautiful sunny day allowed us to get a lot of waste off of the beach, but participants found far more litter than we should have in our environment. We also discovered that a lot of what was collected was made of plastic. In addition to items like single-use plastic forks and straws, many participants found small bits of plastic and broken bits of foam.

The plastic pollution problem is widespread in the Great Lakes region. It is estimated that about 11 million pounds of plastic enter Lake Michigan alone every year. In natural environments, plastic doesn’t go away, instead it breaks down into microplastics that can continue to contaminate our waterways. A recent citizen science report from the Alliance for the Great Lakes found that 86 percent of litter collected on Great Lakes beaches is composed either partially or fully of plastic. Plastic waste can harm birds, fish and other wildlife who may mistake bits of plastic for food. To protect our wildlife we need to reduce plastic waste.

This is why Environment Illinois is working to get rid of unnecessary single-use plastic items like polystyrene foam cups and take-out containers. Nothing that we use once should pollute the environment for hundreds of years. By reducing use of single-use plastics and supporting policies to reduce waste, we can continue to enjoy and protect the natural environment around us.

Staff | TPIN
Staff | TPIN
Staff | TPIN
Staff | TPIN
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