Lake Huron is the second largest of the Great Lakes. This lake is continuously being polluted every day. There are three different category types of pollution which are;1) Point-source pollution; 2) Nonpoint-source pollution; and 3) Air pollution. Point-source pollution refers to mercury, fecal matter, and sewage, from treatment plants or industrial facilities, being dumped into the Lake. Nonpoint-source pollution refers to runoff of polluted water from crops or lawns which contain contaminants. These contaminants may be oil, sand, salt from roadways, agricultural chemicals, and nutrients and toxic materials from urban or rural areas (The Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation, 1998-2012). According to the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation, air pollution is the worst type of pollution. The Coastal Conservation has categorized the Ontario Lake Huron Shoreline among the worst in Southern Ontario. Other chemicals that can be deposited in Lake Huron via the atmosphere are pesticides, lead, mercury, PCBs, furans, and dioxins. The effects on the economy are many, and the most important one would be the effects that these contaminants can have on human health. Pollutants that persist in the waters of Lake Huron can accumulate through the food chain in fish for instance. Frequent consumption of fish from these waters can cause high levels of toxic chemicals like DDT, dioxin etc. which have been linked to the reproductive problems, neurological disorders and cancers. Other health issues can arise when drinking contaminated water which can cause skin infections (Alexander, 2002).
Critical Pollutants for Lake Huron
Category | Pollutant | Area | Indicator of Impairment |
Priority Pollutant | PCBs | Lakewide | Fish tissue concentrations exceed Michigan Department of Community Health action levels or Ontario sport fish consumption guidelines and strong association with fish and wildlife deformities, and reproductive effects. Locations: Lake Huron (Michigan...