Home > Science and Technology > Troubled Waters: Pollution in the Great Lakes

Troubled Waters: Pollution in the Great Lakes
Bacteria-laden beaches, lakes choked with algae and fish contaminated by industrial waste: these have been symptoms of pollution in the Great Lakes since the late 1950s. With growing threats to drinking water, wildlife populations and human health, governments on both sides of the border took action to reverse the Lakes' decline in the 1970s. Today they supply water to one-third of all Canadians and one-seventh of all Americans. Under the watchful eyes of scientists and environmentalists, the Lakes are slowly becoming great again.

	Waves of pollution		No swimming at Sunnyside		Dishing the dirt on phosphates
	Water experts condemn the effects of municipal, chemical and industrial waste on the Great Lakes. (Radio; runs 8:04)		Toronto's western beaches are closed due to pollution flowing into Lake Ontario. (TV; runs 2:38)		An environmental lobby group exposes high-phosphate detergents that contribute to "dead" lakes. (TV; runs 12:40)

	Dangerous catch of the day		'Revenge of the industrial past'		Lake Erie lives again
	Industrial waste and cancerous chemicals lead to a ban on commercial fishing in parts of the Lakes. (TV; runs 5:13)		After an industrial-waste disaster at Love Canal in New York state, how many more chemical dumps are waiting to strike? (Radio; runs 5:19)		Chemical pollution wanes in Lake Erie and gull populations rebound, but scientists remain wary about the lake's future. (TV; runs 2:22)

	Government guts gull study		What is the Sarnia Blob?		A new agreement for action
	Scientists may lose an "early-warning system" — using herring gulls to measure the health of the Great Lakes. (Radio; runs 3:40)		Residents, scientists and governments want to know what lurks under the St. Clair River. (Radio; runs 11:27)		The United States and Canada pledge to improve water quality in the Lakes and step up research. (TV; runs 2:09)

	Spotlight on Superior		The problem with pesticides
	A pilot project aims to phase out pollution on the largest Great Lake. (TV; runs 1:43)		Farmers try striking a balance between protecting their crops and minimizing impact on the Great Lakes. (TV; runs 8:22)

LINKS Topic from Les Archives de Radio-Canada on the same subject Les Grands Lacs, dépotoir du Nord Related Topics from CBC's Archives Acid Rain: Pollution and Politics Mercury Rising: The Poisoning of Grassy Narrows The Sinking and Raising of the Irving Whale External sites Environment Canada: Our Great Lakes Great Lakes Information Network International Joint Commission The CBC assumes no responsibility for the content of external links.

7 Additional Clips about Troubled Waters: Pollution in the Great Lakes Printer-friendly topic page Send this page to a friend Add this topic to your personal bookmarks Cite this page

Copyright © CBC 2006 All Rights Reserved Privacy