Scuba divers in Minnesota tackle problem of freshwater lake garbage

Every year, millions of pounds of garbage pollute freshwater lakes across the U.S. In Minnesota, scuba divers took a deeper look at where all the underwater trash is coming from and how to prevent it.

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Every year, millions of pounds of garbage pollute freshwater lakes across the U.S. Efforts to curb the problem range from shoreline cleanups to dredging lakes. In Minnesota, scuba divers wanted a deeper look at where all that underwater trash is coming from and how to prevent it. Kirsti Marohn of Minnesota Public Radio has this report.

KIRSTI MAROHN, BYLINE: Divers Shawn Louth and Ludo Fekete squeeze into wet suits and strap on scuba gear ready to explore beneath the tranquil surface of Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota.

SHAWN LOUTH: OK, Captain. I'm good.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: OK.

MAROHN: Each diver has a bright yellow mesh bag to fill with the discarded items they find in the deep.

LOUTH: Oh, this will be a fun one.

LUDO FEKETE: It's all yours.

(SOUNDBITE OF WATER SPLASHING)

MAROHN: Louth and Fekete are with a nonprofit called Clean Up the Lake, based in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. They're part of a team that recently spent two weeks researching Mille Lacs Lake's submerged trash. Colin West is the group's founder and executive director.

COLIN WEST: It's been an issue that's really been out of sight and out of mind for so many people.

MAROHN: West says a lot of attention has focused on marine litter polluting the world's oceans. But he says lakes also have a big garbage problem. His organization has removed about 77,000 pounds of trash from lakes, mostly in the Sierra Nevada. He hopes to expand the group's efforts to freshwater bodies across the U.S. Litter that ends up in lakes, just like in oceans, is often made of plastic or other material that breaks down into tiny particles - items scientists say pose a threat to the environment and public health. Minnesota's 11,000-plus lakes are popular for boating, swimming and fishing. Even in the winter, anglers cut holes in the ice. All those visitors leave behind a lot of garbage. When West's team arrived, they gathered intel from locals about fishing hot spots, where litter was likely to accumulate. Then divers and remote-operated vehicles comb to the lake bottom, retrieving any debris they found.

(SOUNDBITE OF RUNNING WATER)

LOUTH: Couple lures. Yeah, beer bottles, some beer cans. Got a tire yesterday.

MAROHN: After 45 minutes of searching, the divers climb back aboard the boat and unload.

LOUTH: What'd you get in your Easter basket, Ludo?

MAROHN: It's an odd collection. A glass bottle, a small anchor, a tangled jumble of fishing line, a cellphone. Louth says, it's a typical hall.

LOUTH: I think it's the nature of recreation. There's going to be litter if there's people playing outside. So it's a natural thing that's unfortunate, and it's not good for the environment.

MAROHN: Nearby at a local school, students helped identify and categorize the trash. West says that allows researchers to trace it back to its source.

LOUTH: We can say, hey, this region, you have a problem with construction debris. You need to talk to your construction companies. Hey, over here, we've got beer cans and beach toys, and dog toys and hats and sunglasses and iPhones. Looks like we've got a bunch of drunk partiers over here that, you know, we need to put waste receptacles out there. We need to, you know, have more proper management, maybe an alcohol ban.

MAROHN: An invitation from Ann Brucciani Lyon brought West's team to Minnesota. She's a third-generation cabin owner on Mille Lacs Lake and a member of Minnesota's Keep It Clean Coalition. Last year, the group lobbied for passage of a new state law making it illegal to leave garbage on frozen rivers and lakes.

ANN BRUCCIANI LYON: We hope that the law just further pushes that awareness and people pack out what they pack in. It's a simple ask. If we all want to enjoy the lakes and the fisheries, the rivers, we got to keep them clean.

MAROHN: Brucciani Lyon says the results of the study will help advocates like her understand better how to help the lake, whether through more research, beach cleanups or educating people about the impacts of trash they leave behind.

For NPR News, I'm Kirsti Marohn in Isle, Minnesota.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.