Waste Management says its new renewable natural gas project should be up and running by 2025.

The company officially launched its $50 million expansion at the Twin Creeks Landfill just outside of Watford. The company has been working with Warwick Township on the project, which turns methane into natural gas to heat homes, for several months.

Engineering Manager Wayne Jenken said the start of construction of the renewable natural gas infrastructure project will begin later this year with the approval of permits expected in place by the end of the year. Jenken said things like site preparation can be conducted until the construction can get fully underway as they await permit approvals. The new facility is expected to be commission in 2024 with it full operational by 2025.

The project is expected to employ 75 construction workers and will add six to 10 full time employees to the Twin Creeks Landfill site workforce when it is fully operational.

The new project will convert landfill gas captured from the Twin Creeks site into pipeline quality gas for injection into the nearby commercial gas transmission and distribution network. Once it is fully operational, the facility is estimated to produce as much as two million MMBtu of renewable natural gas per year. This could be enough energy to heat 35,000 homes in Ontario.

Waste Management Canada Area Vice President Tracy Black called this project apart of a “renewable energy revolution,” touting Waste Management as a leader in landfill gas. Waste Management currently has 16 renewable natural gas plants across North America with an announcement last year that 17 more will be built. This includes two in Canada, Twin Creeks and another in Quebec.

Warwick Township Mayor Todd Case called it a good day for the municipality, mentioning how ironic it was is there is a shortage of natural gas in the community. He hoped sometime soon, there would be a further announcement that there will be natural gas expansion into Warwick Township.

“If we all work together, we can achieve so much,” said Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey, as he brought greetings from the provincial government.