DELTA, B.C. - Village Farms International, in partnership with the Swedish Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, is funding a study on the capturing of carbon dioxide from landfill gas.

“Once again as a company Village Farms has aligned itself to be on the forefront of clean technology,” Michael A. DeGiglio, President & CEO for Village Farms, said about the project, according to a press release. "We are pleased to be a part of this initiative with the potential for far reaching positive impacts not only for business but for people and the environment.”

The study, according to the company, will be conducted at a local sustainability consultancy firm called Hallbar Consulting, and will look at the feasibility of driving the greatest possible value from Vancouver’s landfill gas through the capturing and use of available carbon dioxide in the Village Farms’ greenhouses in Delta, B.C.

The Swedish Institute the company is teaming up with is reportedly a world-leading applied research and development institute, and the project itself has gained the support of the Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C. (IAF), providing adaptation funding by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Other providers include:

• The B.C. Greenhouse Growers Association
• B.C. Food Processors Association
• Air Liquide

“We are proud to support this ambitious and innovative initiative,” Ken Bates, IAF Chair and a crop and dairy producer in Delta, said in the release. “As farmers we know the value of reducing or re-purposing waste and we congratulate Village Farms as they help create value for BC agriculture while enhancing environmental impacts.”

According to Village Farms, the potential for capturing and using carbon dioxide from Vancouver’s landfill gas would provide long-term cleaner air benefits for the region and its inhabitants, while also helping to position Vancouver as one of the greenest cities in the world. Should the study yield positive results, the capturing and utilizing of carbon dioxide reportedly could be of great benefit to Village Farms, and potentially other local greenhouses, plus food and beverage processing businesses in the B.C. area that use carbon dioxide.

The company reportedly hopes local food and beverage processing companies will have the opportunity to purchase locally-made, renewable carbon dioxide, reducing the importation of carbon dioxide into B.C.’s Lower Mainland.