CHICAGO, IL – On World Water Day, March 22, the Alliance for the Great Lakes, Ocean Conservancy, Illinois Environmental Council, and Loyola University scientists will hold a briefing with partners at the Museum of Science and Industry, outside of the Blue Paradox exhibit, to discuss protecting the Great Lakes and waterways from the environmental and health risks of microfiber pollution, the most prevalent form of microplastics in environmental samples and represent over 90% of microplastics ingested by marine animals. The Alliance for the Great Lakes (AGL), Ocean Conservancy, and Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) invite members of the press to join for a briefing to discuss the growing threat caused by microfiber pollution. 

The Great Lakes provide drinking water for more than 30 million people and are home to diverse and increasingly threatened wildlife. However, the Great Lakes are in the midst of a plastic pollution crisis, with plastic waste increasingly accumulating in our waterways. In particular, synthetic microfibers, a type of microplastic shed or fragmented from plastic-based textiles and clothing, are of growing concern. In animals, ingestion of microfibers has been shown to reduce food consumption, reduce energy for growth, alter gene expression, and block digestive tracts.

In many cases, microfibers shed from clothing during household and commercial laundering escape wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and flow with the discharge into our waterways. To address this issue, Illinois lawmakers have introduced a package of Microfiber bills HB4269, HB5658, and HB5659.

Media are requested to RSVP by 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 21^st with Don Carr at (651) 395-4270 or [email protected].

A fact sheet on microfibers can be found HERE.

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ABOUT ALLIANCE FOR THE GREAT LAKES

The Alliance for the Great Lakes is a nonpartisan nonprofit working across the region to protect our most precious resource: the fresh, clean, and natural waters of the Great Lakes. For more information, visit greatlakes.org.

ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY 

Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.