MP opposes caustic soda trial in Hvalfjord
Wednesday 14th October 2026 on 18:16 in
Iceland
Mid Centre Party MP Karl Gauti Hjaltason has criticised a planned experiment involving caustic soda in Hvalfjord, questioning whether it will deliver a climate benefit. In a speech to parliament, he said it was unclear whether the carbon captured would outweigh emissions from producing and transporting the chemical, mbl.is reported.
The trial is due to begin in the coming days, with eight tonnes of sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda, to be added to the fjord. The amount refers to the chemical’s dry weight; it will be mixed into the water as a diluted solution.
“Hvalfjord is a precious natural gem, and I agree with those who have strongly protested against turning it into a testing ground for a project involving a toxic substance,” Hjaltason said. He described caustic soda as highly corrosive and dangerous, and criticised the choice of a fjord near the capital with rich marine life and well-known salmon rivers flowing into it.
Hjaltason also said the project did not appear to account for Iceland’s use of renewable energy. He argued that emissions from making and transporting the chemical should be weighed against the carbon the trial aims to capture.
Röst, a marine research centre, has received permission to conduct the study. The permit was granted on 8 September, after a similar proposal was rejected last year. The project will test whether increasing the sea’s alkalinity can improve its ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The chemical will be released in three stages, with the situation assessed between each stage. Röst’s director has said monitoring will include the water’s acidity and marine life, and that the study would not harm the fjord’s ecosystem, citing reviews by scientists and other specialists.
Hjaltason also questioned public spending on climate measures, saying the cost of the trial should be counted among them. He called for information on measurable results, arguing that taxpayers were entitled to know what their money had achieved. The research is funded by the US nonprofit Carbon to Sea Initiative.