WASHINGTON, July 26 (UPI) -- A plan to combat global warming by dumping large amounts of iron into the ocean is drawing criticism from U.S. environmental organizations.
Planktos, a California company, said it plans to use a research ship to dump about a hundred tons of iron dust into international waters about 200 miles west of the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Iron encourages plankton growth, which can absorb atmospheric CO2, a greenhouse gas. Planktos ultimately wants to fertilize plankton blooms, measure the carbon they capture, and sell the corresponding credits, National Geographic News reported. Companies emitting greenhouse gases can buy such credits to offset their emissions.
But several environmental groups are objecting to that plan. Greenpeace co-founder Paul Watson told NGN his group -- the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society -- plans to intercept and stop Planktos' vessel in open waters.
The World Wildlife Fund, Galapagos National Park, and Greenpeace are among groups that say large-scale iron enrichment schemes have too many potential consequences and too few hypothetical benefits.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it is evaluating Planktos' plan.
Planktos officials told National Geographic News they are being attacked by fringe environmentalists.
