FOUNEX, Switzerland Aug 25 (Reuters) - Lake Geneva, nestled at the foot of the Alps, has long been considered as a near-pristine body of water, but new research has found that its plastic pollution levels are as high as those in the oceans.
Oceaneye, a Geneva-based non-profit that has for more than a decade been scouring the seas to collect plastic fragments, has turned its attention closer to home to landlocked Switzerland.
[1/5]A boat of NGO Oceaneye collects plastic fragments in the water of Lake Leman in Founex near Geneva, Switzerland August 21, 2023.
Microplastics derive from the breakdown of various consumer and industrial plastic waste over time and their concentrations are accumulating in the world's oceans.
"When we began working on this 12 years ago and talked about plastic fragments in water, people took us for wackos and now it is a recognised problem."
Persons:
Pascal Hagmann, Denis Balibouse, Hagmann, Cecile Mantovani, Emma Farge, Sharon Singleton
Organizations:
REUTERS, Thomson
Locations:
Switzerland, Lake Geneva, Geneva, Lac Leman, Lake Leman, Founex, Leman, Europe, France, Switzerland's, Evian