Environmentalists and fishermen are opposing the plans of a group of scientists who want to dump nearly 273,000 liters of sodium hydroxide into Cape Cod Bay as a means to mitigate climate change.
The group of scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth is seeking permission to carry out a project that involves dumping 30,000 liters of this chemical approximately 16 kilometers south of Martha’s Vineyard, with plans to begin this summer, according to Phys.org. The project, named LOC-NESS, focuses on two primary objectives.
Cape Cod waters selected for chemical dumping experiment. (Photo: National Geographic)
The first objective is to investigate the potential environmental impacts of increasing the alkalinity of seawater to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. The second aim is to test and report the amount of CO2 that could potentially be removed through this method if implemented on a larger scale.
“While reducing emissions plays a key role in mitigating human impacts on Earth’s climate, it has become clear in recent years that emission reductions need to be supported by removing carbon dioxide from the air,” the Woods Hole scientists stated.
Environmentalists and fishermen are against the planned experiment, which is set to take place next summer on a much larger scale, involving approximately 272,765 liters of chemicals dumped into the waters off the northeastern coast of Provincetown in Maine.
Friends of the Earth is one of dozens of organizations that have written to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to oppose the project. They emphasize that ocean alkalinity enhancement, a process that involves adding alkaline compounds to seawater to change pH and enhance the ocean’s natural carbon absorption capacity, is inconsistent with the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity due to the risks and uncertainties associated with this technology for biodiversity and ecosystems.
According to Benjamin Day, an advocate from Friends of the Earth, sodium hydroxide is an extremely hazardous compound. It can cause chemical burns upon contact with human skin or marine animals. The alkalinity enhancement process often uses minerals such as limestone and creates a range of other issues. However, sodium hydroxide presents more immediate concerns. Local fishermen are also worried that the experiment could affect their catch yields.
The Woods Hole scientists assert that the project will operate within a pH range that is safe for aquatic life and will comply with strict environmental monitoring regulations. They will regularly monitor alkalinity using specialized kits, sensors, and sampling equipment. The results will provide the first in-water data on the safety of the method, including its impact on the chemical composition of the water, marine food webs, and larger organisms. According to Alison Brizius, director of the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Agency, this project is essential to understanding the effects of removing carbon dioxide using seawater.
