Controversial plans to store surplus CO2 in empty natural gas chambers deep underground near Barendrecht have been scrapped, economic affairs minister Maxime Verhagen announced on Thursday.

‘The three year delay to the project and the total lack of support in the locality are the main reasons behind the decision,’ Verhagen said in a note to parliament.
The Barendrecht area was earmarked for storing CO2 from Shell’s Pernis refinery. Barendrecht council had argued the risks to locals were unclear and house prices could collapse. The potential storage site lies under a residential area of 7,600 homes.
Other initiatives
Verhagen said other initiatives, such as one under the North Sea and another in the north of the country, are still on the cards.
‘CO2 storage is still an important part of solving the climate problem in the Netherlands,’ Verhagen said.
But although the local authorities in the north are more enthusiastic, locals are also concerned about the safety aspects and resistance is growing, the Volkskrant said.