Dust ‘may help curb CO2 risks’

UNWANTED rock dust could play a major role in tackling climate change, scientists claim.

They say spreading finely crushed basalt on farmland could help absorb two billion tons of carbon dioxide a year from the atmosphere.

That is about 2.5 times the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2017.

Sheffield University researchers found that the dust from volcanic rock not used by the mining and construction industry could also improve soil quality.

The discovery came amid warnings global temperatures are set to hit a dangerous level within five years.

Professor David Beerling said that spreading the dust on agricultural land is “a straightforward, practical CO2 drawdown approach with the potential to boost soil health and food production.”

The findings were published in the journal Nature.