Technological innovation always comes with consequences, and at a cost. One that is ecological and most often negative in terms of unforeseen consequences. The injection of carbon dioxide at a carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility in Decatur, Illinois, has been paused after yet another underground leak was detected in September this year. This leak demonstrates the danger and failure of these false solutions. The reported leakage was not the first instance as well.
Prior to the most recent incident, in August 2024, the U.S. EPA had already determined that agribusiness corporation Archer-Daniels-Midland violated Safe Drinking Water Act regulations and the terms of its Class VI Underground Injection Control Permit when at least 8,000 metric tons of liquified carbon dioxide leaked from a monitoring well at its injection facility in Decatur, Illinois, into “unauthorized zones.” The leak was detected in March 2024 at an Archer-Daniels-Midland carbon capture and storage facility that injects compressed and liquified CO2 emissions from a nearby industrial processing facility — also owned by Archer-Daniels-Midland — for storage underground. The EPA also noted that the company failed to follow proper emergency response and remediation procedures in response to the leak.