“Chemicals-for-carbon” decision welcomed   

St Ives MP, Andrew George, welcomed a communication from the company proposing to pump magnesium hydroxide into the St Ives Bay as a means of carbon capture, that the initiative has been abandoned. 

Planetary Technologies CEO Mike Kelland wrote to Mr George to explain the proposal was commercially unviable. (Attached below)   

Mr George 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. The Environment Agency still had several outstanding requests of PT including dosing levels, before any decision could be made.  

“This doesn’t mean the proposed technology should never be trialled, but it seemed clear there needed to be more research and robust studies prior to releasing chemicals the impact of which were not fully known.”   

“This is good common sense for Cornwall, seals, safe seas and local economy.”