Forging a Future Without Waste in the Great Lakes
Forging a future without waste and ending waste pollution, starting with plastic, is a monumental task facing the bi-national Great Lakes mega-region – as well as the rest of the world. But, if we are successful, there will be tremendous socioeconomic opportunities and environmental benefits in building a circular Great Lakes economy.
Our Region
Our Problem
Our Solution
Forging a Future Without Waste
Forging a future without waste and ending waste pollution, starting with plastic, is a monumental task facing the Great Lakes – as well as the rest of the world. Collaborating with a diverse group of partners, through the Circular Great Lakes initiative, we have an opportunity to unite together and act with purpose in designing a sustainable, circular Great Lakes economy and achieving a zero plastic waste future, leveraging the strength of partnerships as well as the power of public-private sector investments.
Circular Great Lakes has also been recognized by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) as a project that the AEPW’s network of companies can support as part of their member-directed financial commitments to the Alliance.
Great Lakes Mega-Region: Our Plastic Waste Challenge
8 U.S. States and 2 Canadian Provinces
3rd largest economy in the world with
$6.0 trillion USD in economic output (2017)
84% of North America’s surface freshwater
An estimated 22 million pounds of plastic waste may be entering the Great Lakes every year
Home to 107 million people, communities and consumers in the region expect to recycle
Significant binational opportunities
to grow a circular economy together