Along Lakeshore Path
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Back to Along Lakeshore Path
The big picture
The downtown lakefront is one of the prettiest views Chicago has to offer. If you travel to the city's southeast side, you will see remnants of the manufacturing boom of the early 1900s that allowed the city to become the business and cultural hub that it is today. Numerous state and local projects are working to remove polluted sediment and restore natural habitats in this area. But more than a century of industry left behind staggering quantities of industrial waste that degraded water quality and still pose a threat to public health.
At the same time, scientists are discovering new chemicals in Lake Michigan and surrounding waterways, often from everyday household products like soaps, medications, and plastics. Many of these contaminants are in the water in low enough levels that they don't pose an immediate threat to humans. A growing number of studies, though, are showing that they have significant impacts on wildlife.
At the same time, scientists are discovering new chemicals in Lake Michigan and surrounding waterways, often from everyday household products like soaps, medications, and plastics. Many of these contaminants are in the water in low enough levels that they don't pose an immediate threat to humans. A growing number of studies, though, are showing that they have significant impacts on wildlife.