Lake Tahoe’s pristine shores witnessed an unwelcome scene as a winter storm deposited thousands of small plastic styrofoam beads. Originating from the remnants of a disintegrated floating dock, the beads posed a significant environmental threat to the popular Incline Village beaches. The storm’s waves scattered the beads on the shoreline.
Clean Up the Lake, a local non-profit, led efforts to tackle the pollution with at least two dozen volunteers. The beads, believed to be expanded polystyrene, proved challenging due to their size and integration into sand and snow. Cleanup involved various tools, including pasta strainers, buckets, leaf blowers, and shop vacuums. Despite extensive efforts, only around 90 per cent of the beads were successfully removed, leaving thousands still embedded in the environment.
Origins of the plastic beads
The plastic beads are presumed remnants of a floating dock that disintegrated into at least 100,000 pieces, likely upon contact with a boat ramp.
Clean Up the Lake founder Colin West told the Guardian that the beads has a detrimental effect on aquatic life and the environment. Their breakdown into microplastics exacerbates existing environmental concerns for Lake Tahoe.
This incident marks the second documented plastic bead pollution event in recent years for Clean Up the Lake. The non-profit advocates for a suspension in the use of such plastics in docks and lake projects.
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Despite sustained efforts over decades, pollution remains a persistent problem in Lake Tahoe. Clean Up the Lake has removed over 61,000 pounds of litter since 2018, conducting numerous dives to address trash in the lake’s depths. Additionally, Lake Tahoe exhibits high concentrations of microplastics, ranking among the highest globally in recent research.
(With inputs from agencies)
