Show Notes
This episode discusses the issue of microplastics in the Great Lakes, featuring experts from the International Joint Commission (IJC) and universities. Dr. Rebecca Rooney and Eden Hadley explain the standardized definition of microplastics, ranging from 5 millimeters to 1 micron, and their sources, including nurdles, tire wear, and synthetic clothing fibers. The IJC's report highlights the need for standardized monitoring and harmonized methods to assess microplastic concentrations accurately. Recommendations include listing microplastics as a contaminant of mutual concern and promoting life cycle responsibility for producers. Individual actions, such as using microfiber filters in washing machines, can also help reduce microplastic pollution. Episode Links: https://ijc.org/sites/default/files/SAB_MicroplasticsReport_2024.pdf https://ijc.org/en/sab/monitoring-ecological-risk-assessment-and-management-microplastics-laurentian-great-lakes https://ijc.org/sites/default/files/SAB_MicroplasticsRpt_SuppMaterialsA.pdf
-- Show Credits: Host: Stuart Carlton Senior Producer: Carolyn Foley Producers: Megan Gunn and Renie Mills Associate Producer and Fixer: Ethan Chitty Editor: Sandra Svoboda Podcast Art by: Joel Davenport Music by: Stuart Carlton
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In this episode, Stuart and Natty talk with Dr. Sarah Balgooyen of PFAS@Mines at the Colorado School of Mines about her team's surprisingly good news: PFAS levels in Great Lakes fish have been declining since the mid-2000s. They get into how you actually find that out — freeze-drying and blending 50-year-old lake trout pulled out of an EPA freezer. PLUS: a New Yorker cartoon pitch! Warren Dunes State Park, Michigan Bob's Atomic Burgers, Golden, CO Sarah's paper — Journal of Great Lakes Research PFAS@Mines research group EPA Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program iiseagrant.org
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