Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI)

"Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation Sunday banning the manufacture and sale of personal care products containing plastic microbeads."

"For months, a company that stores giant mounds of petroleum coke on Chicago's Southeast Side has maintained it had nothing to do with gritty clouds of dust blowing into surrounding neighborhoods or black residue staining the sides of nearby houses."

"Global warming is putting wildlife at risk, leading to hard questions about wilderness ethics."

"A proposed Canadian nuclear waste site near the shores of Lake Huron is facing mounting criticism from Michigan lawmakers who say it's dangerous and called on the federal government to intervene."

"It's widely used nationwide as a germ-killing ingredient in soaps, deodorants and even toothpaste, but it's being banned in Minnesota."

"The Chicago City Council today voted 36-10 to ban plastic bags in most stores next year, a change that backers say will improve the city's environment but opponents contend will harm the local economy."

"Zoning changes prohibit new storage sites, but 3 dumps can remain despite neighbors' protests."

"Mysterious holes that were discovered at an Indiana sand dune last year -- and which nearly swallowed a child -- will keep a Lake Michigan park closed indefinitely."

"Plastic is everywhere, and with good reason: it's cheap, lightweight, and durable and can be turned into practically anything, from filmy plastic wrap to colourful children's toys to vital components in a computer or a heart valve. But scientists are discovering that plastic debris in the world's oceans, and in large bodies of water such as the Great Lakes, could be a far more serious environmental problemthan previously realized."

"Just a few miles from the spot where Enbridge Inc plans to build a massive marine terminal for its Northern Gateway oil pipeline, Gerald Amos checks crab traps and explains why no concession from the company could win his support for the project."