Please visit our General FAQs for questions applicable across all Planetary projects. The following questions pertain to the Vancouver project only. Please note that FAQs will be updated on our website as the project moves forward. If you have a question that isn’t addressed here or elsewhere on our website, we encourage you to reach out to us at: lions_gate_project@planetarytech.com
What antacid product is being used for this project?
+Planetary is currently assessing several antacid products for this project, each of which include magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)₂) and calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂) in various proportions. Both materials are commonly used in wastewater treatment facilities worldwide and have been found by independent groups to be non-toxic and safe for marine environments at much higher concentrations than our trial would employ.
The specific antacid product will be selected based on factors including: safety assessments; measurements of carbon removal potential; and the carbon footprint associated with producing and transporting the antacid. The products used in Planetary’s prior projects in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Cornwall, England would have a high carbon footprint if transported to the Vancouver region; therefore, Planetary is investigating products that can be sourced locally.
Regardless of the product selected, Planetary pre-tests each batch for impurities before shipping them to the project site and rejects any batch that fails to meet established safety thresholds.
Will this project affect fishing in the area?
+No, this project will not harm fish or disrupt fishing activities in the area. Our products in previous projects have been tested by several independent groups for ecological interactions with multiple species of fish, and no reactions have been noted at the concentrations the proposed trial will use. We will do similar testing for the specific combination of antacid and seawater in this trial, taking into account fish species present in the area.
There will be minimal disturbance to the land within the Lions Gate Wastewater Treatment Plant. A small number of temporary installations will be added to the existing infrastructure for the short duration of the trial. There will be no change in the total amount of water released through the existing outfall.
Occasionally boats will travel within Burrard Inlet to collect water samples near the outfall to assess ocean health. We do not anticipate any impacts to water quality and marine life as a result of this trial.