Australia started using a technology that buries and locks dangerous gases underground, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The country’s first underground carbon storage facility was opened by officials in the southern state of Victoria on Wednesday. The plant is supposed to capture and transform into liquid 110, 231 tons of carbon dioxide that result from industry emissions and then inject it in the ground and store it 2 km below the surface.

Although environmentalists are not yet convinced this is an appropriate method and it would not offer great results, researchers believe that it would help Australia dramatically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

The minority Greens political party opposes the technology, considering it ineffective and recommends the project to be abandoned in favor of other projects that would achieve better results.

Carbon dioxide and other similar gases produced by burning fuels are considered dangerous for the environment, as they contribute to global warming. The global warming phenomenon can cause sea level to rise dramatically, extreme weather events to happen and many animal species become extinct. That is why new technologies are invented every year to reduce emissions of these gases, but not all of them achieve significant results.

"The project has a very important role in demonstrating the technical and environmental feasibility of geo-sequestration to Australia and the world and preparing the way for its widespread application," Peter Cook, the project's chief executive, said in a statement, according to CNN.

Chemical experts say that there is no risk of gas leaks, as the rocks act like sponges, absorbing all the liquid carbon dioxide inside for a long time.

Geo-sequestration technology is developed in few countries, including Japan and the United States.