More than 40 million people in the United States and Canada depend on the Great Lakes for drinking water. Each glass of treated lake water contains tiny pieces of plastic, or microplastics, made of toxic chemicals linked to cancer and other diseases. Also contaminated are fish that are a staple of Midwestern fish fries and fish boils and are an important part of the diets of indigenous tribes, certain immigrant populations, and communities of color.
But this pollution is unregulated, and manufacturers are looking to dramatically increase the amount of plastic they produce in the United States.
The Chicago Tribune investigates the plastic dilemma, focusing on the Great Lakes, the world’s largest source of fresh surface water. When faced with pollution issues, industry executives often blamed consumers, using tactics borrowed or shared from Big Tobacco, according to a Tribune review of thousands of government, scientific and internal industry documents.
This coverage, supported by the Pulitzer Center’s StoryReach US initiative, takes an in-depth look at the spread of plastic waste in the Great Lakes, its health hazards and potential solutions.
On May 1, 2026, in Erie, Pennsylvania, Gannon University researcher Shelley Mason picks up plastic pellets, no bigger than a grain of rice, scattered on the ground, where they are transferred from a rail car to a truck and delivered to a local manufacturer. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
As plastic clogs the Great Lakes, industry is pushing for more production and downplaying the risks, Tribune analysis finds
A Chicago Tribune investigation that reviewed thousands of government, scientific and internal industry documents found that tobacco industry executives often blamed consumers when faced with pollution problems, using tactics borrowed from and shared by Big Tobacco.
Some of the world’s most powerful companies are downplaying the dangers posed by plastics and exaggerating their ability to be recycled, the Tribune reported. Read part 1.
Research coordinator Roxanne Sawhill measures the waist of Jamie Headley, 6, of Urbana, during the Illinois Child Development Study (IKIDS) microplastic test at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on June 18, 2026. Scientists at the Beckman Institute have been tracking levels of plastic-softening phthalates in children’s blood even before they are born. Up to 11 years old. (Josh Borland/Chicago Tribune)
Studies have shown that microplastics persist in the bodies of humans and animals. But regulation is still far away
Scientists are particularly concerned about microplastics, which are about the size of a grain of rice. Microplastics can cause heart, brain, and other illnesses either by their presence in the human body or by the toxic chemicals that the particles leach.
Scientists are also investigating whether microplastics contribute to or cause Parkinson’s disease, reduced fertility, premature birth, certain cancers, and developmental problems in children. One example: Researchers at the University of Illinois have followed more than 400 downstate children throughout their lives to track the effects of plastic-related chemicals. Read part 2.
