‘Mass swimming protest’ against plans to dump chemicals into the sea

A protest against plans to dump chemicals into the sea ended with crowds of people taking part in a mass swim in Cornwall today (Sunday, April 21). The Swim for the Sea demo took place on Gwithian beach, with music and speeches, before people took to the sea as a fleet of boats arrived to show their owners’ support for the cause.

Planetary Technologies and South West Water want to conduct a trial to capture carbon by dropping tonnes of magnesium hydroxide into St Ives Bay. According to the controversial project, they hope to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by trapping it in the sea by adding the alkaline mineral.

Magnesium hydroxide is probably better known as the compound Milk of Magnesia, which is used as a laxative. The plan has drawn opposition from local residents, environmentalists and animal charities, who fear that changing the ocean’s alkalinity could impact local flora and fauna.

Earlier this year, an independent review concluded that the Canadian company’s plans to dump tonnes of minerals into the sea as a way to combat climate change would pose a “very low risk” to the environment. However, opponents of the project remain skeptical about its announced benefits and worry about its impact on nature.

Last year a similar protest took place in Gwithian, near Hayle, organized by ‘Save St Ives Bay – Keep our sea chemicals free’. A spokesperson for the group said: “We have drawn a line in the sand, a circle in the ocean and together we have managed to prevent further testing in St Ives Bay for a whole year.

“But now it appears that Planetary Technologies and South West Water will be cleared to restart testing. We don’t want this to happen as we remain deeply concerned about the potential consequences and unintended consequences. We do not believe it is right that South West Water wants to use our sewage infrastructure to dump chemicals into the bay. We call on them to end their partnership with Planetary Technologies and focus on cleaning up their own mess.”

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