What are the emerging and future threats to the Great Lakes?
Although governments and citizens are struggling to come to terms with the known problems that have damaged the Great Lakes, new concerns continue to come to light. Ongoing scientific research in the Great Lakes Basin confirms the complexity of the past problems, that have not yet been resolved, and reveals areas that need attention. The old, new and emerging threats identified by the IJC include: • Unmonitored chemicals The IJC is concerned that the number of chemicals being monitored in the Great Lakes is inadequate. The environmental consequences of many unmonitored chemicals that find their way into the lakes are unknown — notably pharmaceuticals, flame retardants and high volume chemicals such as the new generation of biodegradable pesticides. Nor are there any objectives set for these chemicals under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. • Endocrine disruptors Chemicals such as dioxin, PCBs, DDT and some other pesticides are now known to be endocrine disruptors. This means th
