St Ives Bay carbon capture plans scrapped

Controversial carbon capture plans in west Cornwall has been scrapped, it has been confirmed.

The Planetary Technologies team wanted to release magnesium hydroxide into St Ives Bay and monitor how the chemical affected ocean acidity and carbon dioxide levels.

However, some people opposed the idea and the impact on wildlife and the environment.

On Wednesday, the company said the "scale-up of operations in Cornwall has been assessed as commercially unviable and we will not be pursuing a wider programme in the region".

On the company's website it said: "We worked with local utility South West Water and proposed the addition of a diluted form of the mineral magnesium hydroxide to the existing water flow at the water treatment plant in Hayle.

The company said adding the alkaline compound to the sea would help counter ocean acidity caused by climate change.

It said: "Planetary has successfully completed its trial operations in Cornwall, UK, gathering valuable scientific data and insights.

"Although the trial demonstrated great potential, we have decided not to pursue a full programme in Cornwall due to commercial infeasibility."

A spokesperson for Planetary Technologies added: "Cornwall has played a meaningful role in our development, and we are deeply grateful to the local partners, community, and team members who have supported our mission."

St Ives MP Andrew George said "more research and robust studies" needed to be carried out before chemicals were released into the environment.

He said: "There remained uncertainty regarding the potential impact of pumping these chemicals on marine wildlife.

"The studies undertaken had not satisfied the Cornwall Carbon Scrutiny Group, in that the baseline data remained incomplete, the control and diffuser sites weren't comparable and the target study species were not present at the time of the trials."

George said the decision was "good common sense for Cornwall, seals, safe seas and local economy".

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