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The domino effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are widespread, but here’s a peculiar one ... having fewer cars on the road has caused a shortage of a crucial component at Iowa’s water treatment plants: CO2, which is used to soften water.
According to the Des Moines Register, Lincolnway Energy, Nevada, IA, alerted to the utility's problem, decided to reactivate its plant and resume producing ethanol — and CO2 — earlier this month.
Lincolnway produces 400 tons of the gas daily, which yields about 260 tons of purified carbon dioxide after it's treated.