In a proclamation, Governor Gretchen Whitmer dedicated Oct. 19-26 as Microplastics Awareness Week.
The week includes events in which the public can learn about microplastics, participate in cleanups and discover practical solutions to reduce plastic waste at home.
Microplastics are small pieces of plastic (less than 5mm) and are found in every environment on the planet. Glitter is known to be a primary cause, but they can also come from larger plastic items, like containers, that have broken down over time, according to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE).
“Microplastics are a global issue that touches every part of Michigan, from our most remote inland lakes to our busiest cities,” said EGLE Director Phil Roos in a press release. “[Microplastics Awareness Week] is about empowering people with knowledge and actions that make a real difference in keeping our waters clean and healthy for generations to come.”
Events throughout the week include a summit, which will discuss where microplastics go, how EGLE detects them, the risks associated with them and how they interact with the environment, a look at microplastic pollution lake-by-lake, various cleanup efforts and information on how to prevent marine debris from entering the environment.
For the full list of events, click here.
EGLE also said its ramping up microplastics research and monitoring due to a one-time $2 million state appropriation over five years. The money allows the department to study the occurrence of microplastics in public drinking water supplies and develop a statewide microplastics strategy to guide policies, monitoring, education, and prevention, among other things.
