We're taking action to clean up the waterways of the Great Lakes region!

THE GREAT LAKES PLASTIC CLEANUP

Our Impact

Over 28.9K

people engaged at outreach events. We are working to connect local communities with important information about plastic pollution.

Over 244K

pieces of plastic debris reported to be removed across the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup network. Check out our data page here!

140+

partners and collaborators, including marinas, local environmental organizations, government, industry, zoos, and academic institutions.

17.5 Billion

liters of water filtered by plastic capture technology

AbOut The Project

The Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup brings together collaborators from across the binational Great Lakes region to take action on the plastic pollution problem.

Learn More

The Great Lakes Region by Numbers

107 million

people call the Great Lakes region home and rely on the ecosystem services the lakes provide.

10 million

kilograms of plastic litter are estimated to enter the Great Lakes - each year.

3,500

species of plants and animals are found in the Great Lakes region - some are found nowhere else.

21%

of the world's surface freshwater supply is contained in the Great Lakes (~22.7 quadrillion litres!)

"I got to participate in research efforts and experience first-hand how data is collected. I learned that we still have a lot to learn about the origin, impact, and magnitude of waste in our waters...everything is interconnected."

- Volunteer from Hamilton, Ontario