When disposing of waste within an engineered landfill site, not only is all material value lost, but it also entails high emissions implications in terms of transportation and methane emissions from decomposing biomass, which can potentially impact human and ecosystem health if not managed as per regulatory guidelines. Methane emissions are commonly burned as they are produced, making the problem even worse.

In July 2021, Mayor John Tory announced that the City of Toronto would start producing renewable gas (RNG) from Green Bin organic waste and injecting it into the natural gas grid. The RNG produced will be blended with the natural gas that the City buys to create a low-carbon fuel blend that will be used across the organisation to power vehicles and heat City-owned facilities, allowing for a reduction in GHG emissions Citywide.

Toronto’s first RNG facility has recently been built at the Dufferin facility and is ready to start commissioning. Current estimates suggest that this facility will produce approximately 3.3M m3/yr of RNG.

The City of Toronto’s RNG portfolio is one of the first of its kind in Canada and North America and will allow the City to reduce fuel costs for its fleet of waste collection trucks and significantly reduce its carbon footprint. By capturing, and using this natural gas, the city will decrease its reliance on fossil fuels and avoid releasing 9,000 tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere annually.

Moreover, The City of Toronto is currently exploring opportunities to utilise landfill gas, first at its operating landfill, Green Lane Landfill, and shortly following at the closed Keele Valley Landfill. The City has estimated that both landfill projects will be concluded by 2025. Should the City choose to move forward with generating RNG at these sites, the Green Land Landfill and the Keele Valley Landfill are estimated to generate 27.66M m3/yr and 20M m3/yr, respectively.

Photo provided by the City of Toronto.

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