Air Liquide inaugurates CO2 recovery plant in eastern Ontario

MONTREAL — Air Liquide Canada has announced the inauguration of its new carbon dioxide (CO2) recovery plant, located in Johnstown in eastern Ontario.

The firm, a subsidiary of the Air Liquide Group, invested over $30 million over two years to build the new facility and bolster its bulk distribution fleet in Ontario and Quebec, said a recent media statement.

The plant captures raw CO2 waste feed from Greenfield, an ethanol supplier, and transforms it into liquified CO2 gas, which is then delivered to Air Liquide Central Canada customers who will use it mainly in the food, water treatment and manufacturing industries, the statement noted.

The facility is the only one in Canada with a Health Canada drug establishment licence authorizing the fabrication, testing, packaging and labelling of medical grade CO2 in accordance with the requirements of the Canadian Food and Drugs Act. It has a capacity of 300-plus tons per day.

Ross Fuller, vice-president of process industries, commented in the statement, “After just four months of tests, audits and certifications, the results are astonishing: major industrial customers in Quebec and Ontario benefit from a nearby high quality gas supply source and Air Liquide makes a significant contribution to the local economy. The Johnstown CO2 recovery plant will position Air Liquide for continued growth as a leading medical and industrial gas provider in Canada.”