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Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1332052
Since 1964, West Coast Reduction Ltd. (WCRL) has been quietly going about its vital work on Van- couver's south shore. From early roots as a butcher to its modern rendering facilities, the company has carried out safe, environmentally friendly recycling solutions for the agricultural industry, creating valu- able ingredients for everyday products and helping to keep local communities clean and sustainable. The company collects food waste and by- products from food producers like farms, res- taurants and supermarkets, transforming them into ingredients used in renewable energy, animal feed and thousands of other products used daily. Without fanfare or even most people's knowledge, these efforts contribute to a sustainable local food supply and help everyone live in cleaner and healthier communities. To the average person that means lower food costs, a more sustainable agricultural industry and lower GHG emissions, but on an even bigger scale, WCRL's work is helping the province meet ambi- tious energy goals. Like any company that has thrived for more than 50 years, WCRL has evolved with the times and stayed responsive to the changing needs of industry and the wider community. Whereas a few years ago the fats and oils from their process went mainly to oleochemicals and feed ingredients, the industry has shifted, creating a higher demand for alternative energy solutions. "Today, companies like Parkland (Burnaby's Chevron refinery) and British Petroleum (Cherry Point's refinery) have switched to use these materials in biofuels," says Jared Girman, Director of Government Relations and Strategic Initiatives at WCRL. "WCRL works with these companies to supply feedstock for co-processing, which refers to next generation biofuel that combines biofuel and crude to create lower carbon renewable diesel and gasoline." The province has set a goal in the Clean BC initiative to produce 650,000 metric tonnes of liquid renewable fuel. In 2019, WCRL supplied 250,000 metric tonnes to renewable fuel companies. "We represent large portion of that goal, processing 1 billion pounds of raw material each year," Girman says. Parkland intends to double its production by the end of 2021, which means it is essential that WCRL expands its capacity to meet this demand. "The WCRL facility at the Port of Vancouver is the only current location in Western Canada with the ability to refine organic feedstocks to the specifica- tions these suppliers require," Girman says. Learn more about West Coast Reduction Ltd. at www.wcrl.com West Coast Reduction Ltd. might not be a household name, but every British Columbian has a cleaner environment and more afford- able local food supply because of their work SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS C R E AT E D BY BCBusiness I N PA RT N E RS H I P W IT H WEST COAST REDUCTION LTD Take a moment and imagine what would hap- pen if Metro Vancouver's organic waste stream increased by 59%. Given the city's current system is already struggling to manage its waste, how would it handle an increase of that magnitude? For more than 50 years, West Coast Reduction Ltd. (WCRL) has been chipping away at reducing the environmental intensity of the meat industry, reducing GHGs and keeping the organic waste stream under control. The company's safe, sustainable recycling solutions for the agrifood industry help balance the impact of that industry in several ways, while at the same time creating valuable ingredients for everyday products and contribut- ing to cleaner, more sustainable communities. Rendering services in the meat industry add considerably to the sustainability of the West Coast agriculture industry, says Jared Girman, Director of Government Relations and Strategic West Coast Reduction Ltd. contributes to cleaner communities and lower food costs with a triple bottom line approach. REDUCTION FOR A CLEANER FUTURE C R E AT E D BY BCBusiness I N PA RT N E RS H I P W IT H WCRL Initiatives at WCRL. "Sustainability in its truest form addresses a triple bottom line: environmen- tal, economic, and social." Every year in Western Canada, WCRL recycles one billion pounds of raw material. Rendering these materials has the same effect on green- house gas emissions as removing 150,000 cars from the road each year. "This is the best possible use of these byproducts in terms of reducing GHGs and keep- ing that energy in the circular economy system," Girman says. Economically speaking, the company pays producers for the raw materials, which means the suppliers do not have to pay to remove those materials. This affects Canadian businesses in farms, feedlots, restaurants, butcher shops and processors. "This keeps food costs low and helps main- tain a sustainable local food supply," Girman says. This last point is also part of WCRL's social bottom line. "Keeping food prices low helps the community and it helps keep the environment clean," he adds. "It leads to high paying jobs, and we are proud to offer our time and resources to a number of worth organizations in the Lower Mainland." The organic material that West Coast Reduc- tion collects represents 59% of all organics collected in Metro Vancouver, which helps relieve pressure on that system and supports the community. Canada and British Columbia have ambitious carbon reduction goals to which every industry must contribute to see success. "We are a big part of that with the way we process byproducts from the meat industry, creating feed stocks for biofu- els," Girman says. "And, companies like Parkland (Burnaby's Chevron refinery) use our organics and products to reduce the carbon intensity of the fuel products they create." Companywide, WCRL saves 320 000 MT of GHG emissions each year. Learn more about West Coast Reduction Ltd and hear from its team at wcrl.com/audiovideo ■