Did you know that an estimated 22 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes every year? Much of this pollution is easy to spot—single-use items like plastic bottles and bags—but some of the most dangerous plastic is nearly invisible. Tiny microplastics, many of them shed from synthetic clothing during washing, flow through our waterways unnoticed.
Plastic can take decades or even centuries to break down. Instead of disappearing, it fragments into microplastics that end up in our water, fish, wildlife, and even our own bodies. Lake Erie now has the second-highest concentration of microplastics among the Great Lakes, with levels comparable to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch—reaching more than 700,000 particles per square kilometer.
To highlight the scope of this growing problem, the Erie SWCD has partnered with local libraries across Erie County to screen the documentary Ripples of Plastic. The film explores how plastic pollution is affecting the Great Lakes and what it means for our communities. Join us in learning how small plastics are creating big ripples in our environment.
Here is a list of all the local showings of Ripples of Plastic:
Roger Johnson Nature Center – Osborne Park
January 8, 2026,
5:30 PM
Huron Public Library
January 22, 2026
5:30 PM
Sandusky Library
February 28, 2026
2 PM
Ritter Public Library
March 3, 2026
6 PM