Nurdles in Nipigon Bay: Exploring Local Microplastic Concerns
May 3rd • Lake Helen Community Centre • 7-9pm
The newest environmental group in the Nipigon area held their first meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3rd at the Lake Helen Community Centre. The group started as the Public Advisory Committee to the Nipigon Bay Remedial Action Plan (RAP), or cleanup plan, and is now tackling environmental issues beyond the scope of the original RAP.
The meeting was hosted by the Red Rock Indian Band at the Lake Helen Community Centre, near Nipigon, Ontario. The intent of the meeting was to gain a better understanding of microplastics in the Great Lakes, especially the Nipigon Bay situation, where large quantities of plastic beads have been washing up on beaches for years. Presentations at the meeting included:
- a) Plastic in the Great Lakes – An Overview– Tara George/Min. of Env & Climate Change
- b) Mountain Bay/Gravel River situation – Chuck Hutterli/Mountain Bay resident
- c) Simon Lester, “Microbeads: Canadian Regulation & the Plasti-Berg”
- d) Letter from CPR (2016-04-16)
- e) CPR Cleanup actions to date – Presented by Jim Bailey/LU – utilizing info forwarded by CPR
- f) Conestoga and Rovers Document re Health Risks (2014-07-10)
- g) EcoDivers activities – Richard Harvey/EcoDivers (photos of underwater train cars from the wreck)
- h) Video –EcoDiver Chris Berner providing info on trainwreck video clip #1
- i) Video –EcoDiver Chris Berner providing info on trainwreck video clip #2
- j) MNRF information about fish and wildlife ingestion/other considerations – Rosemary Hartley/Min of Natural Resrources & Forestry
Mysterious plastic pellets have been washing up at Chuck Hutterli’s Lake Superior, Nipigon Bay property for 8 years. We went to see for ourselves – check out this video (footage taken April 18, 2016) for more info.
When reached for comment, CP Rail generously provided InfoSuperior.com with documents detailing response to the derailment, environmental threat assessment, and clean up efforts. CPR representatives are unable to attend May 3rd, but are open to meeting in the future to discuss collaborative clean up efforts with the community.
For the month of April, InfoSuperior is running a series on the effects of microplastics on watersheds. The articles are posted every Tuesday, as part of an ongoing focus on environmental issues.
- Part 1: Ban the Bead: a Microplastics Crash Course
- Part 2: Out with the Wash: Microplastics and Clothing
- Part 3: Nurdles in Nipigon Bay – Lake Superior Microplastics Issues
- Part 4: Nipigon Nurdles Trending in Local and Regional Media, Social Media
