OverviewPollution in the Great Lakes is a major problem. This affects both Canada and the United States and has been a problem for over 50 years. The Canadian and American governments have taken action against this situation, but the problem is not yet resolved. This report will discuss pollution and its consequences on the Great Lakes. He will also talk about what we can do to slow and hopefully stop pollution in these lakes. Environmental Issues Many issues are related to pollution. Everything from algae to the water supply we need to survive is affected by pollution. The Great Lakes represent a fifth of the planet's fresh water and this fifth is now polluted. Destruction of the area and increased pollution have increased since the 1960s. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2012) Spills and contact with toxic chemicals have made much of the Great Lakes dangerous. Large agricultural operations are one of the main sources of toxins and pollutants that pollute the lakes. The artificial fertilizers and pesticides used flow into the water and then into the lakes. Wastewater from cities flows into lakes when overflowed, contributing to pollution. Chlorine should be used as a disinfectant in drinking water from lakes. Phosphorus and nitrogen are the main pollutants that seep into waters. When rivers, like the Humber, become polluted, they eventually flow into the Great Lakes. This is why regular waste from suburban areas is also a factor in lake pollution. Pollutants can enter lakes and rivers in many ways: agricultural and urban runoff, industrial outfalls, migration through groundwater, through the food chain, and more. Lots of p...... middle of paper...... y man. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings. »-John F. KennedyWorks cited Environment Canada. (2013). Great Lakes. http://www.ec.gc.ca/grandslacs-greatlakes/default.asp?lang=En&n=70283230-1U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2012). The Great Lakes today: concerns. http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/atlas/glat-ch4.htmlLatham, A., Wright, E. and Tsang, A. (nd). Effects of pollution on the Great Lakes ecosystem. Retrieved from University of Michigan website: http://sitemaker.umich.edu/section5group1/introduction_and_backgroundTEACH. (2006). Water pollution in the Great Lakes. http://www.greatlakes.net/teach/pollution/water/water1.htmlThe guide network. (2014). Guide to water pollution. http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/preventingyou.htmlGreat Lakes Water Quality Council. (1991). Clean up our Great Lakes. Windsor, Ontario. The Commission.