Book 30, Question 111
What are microplastics, and how did they get into lakes?
Microplastics are tiny bits of plastic, smaller than a pencil eraser, and some are too small to see.
They come from broken-down bottles and bags, bits shed by synthetic clothing, and tiny beads once used in some soaps. Rain and drains carry them to rivers and lakes, and scientists have found them in the Great Lakes. Using less plastic and picking up litter helps.
Watch the videoWatch on YouTubeSee the series on Amazon
Quick answers
What are microplastics, and how did they get into lakes?
Microplastics are small plastic pieces or fibers that are smaller than 5 mm in size, or about the size of a pencil eraser and smaller.
Source: NOAA
More fun facts
- Tiny plastics less than 5mm in size, called microplastics, dominate the waters of the Great Lakes.
- Through exposure to winds, waves, and the sun, these larger, more recognizable plastics can break into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually creating microplastics.
- Secondary microplastics come from larger pieces of plastics, such as beverage bottles, bags, and toys.
- Microplastics have even been found in beer made with tap water sourced from the lakes.
- Plastic pellets , which are used to produce larger plastic items, could directly enter the ocean, waterways, and Great Lakes through a spill during shipping or at a manufacturing facility.
- Researchers will estimate how they arrive via the air, streams, and wastewater, and how they settle on the lake bottom or flow downstream, to better understand their overall impact on the Great Lakes.
Sources: NOAA, NOAA, University of Minnesota
Questions kids ask
Is there microplastic in tap water from the Great Lakes?
One study found that the majority of samples of tap water sourced from the Great Lakes had microplastics in them.
Source: NOAA