US startup succeeds in removing CO2 using crushed rocks:American startup Eion has removed 50 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere using a technique called enhanced rock weathering (ERW), Bloomberg reported last week. Although this represents only a fraction of the bns of tons of CO2 that need to be removed from the atmosphere annually to offset climate change, the successful first test has validated Eion’s approach. The 50 tons are the first delivery of carbon removal company Stripe Climate ’s 500 ton purchase.

What is ERW? Enhanced rock weathering is a recently developed technique in which a mineral called olivine is quarried, crushed, and scattered across farmlands, Bloomberg writes. The dissolution of the olivine into the soil results in a chemical reaction that absorbs CO2 and transfers it from the soil, permanently into the ocean.

What’s next for Eion? Eion and other startups using ERW are working towards getting the agriculture industry on board by also positioning olivine as a cheaper alternative to agricultural lime — a soil additive that stabilizes soil acidity, the news outlet reports. Stripe has purchased a further USD 1 bn worth of ERW-powered carbon removal services.