Columbia, Mo. officials have agreed to construct a bioreactor for the city’s Columbia Sanitary Landfill, an effort that could increase the landfill’s life by five years. According to The Associated Press, construction on the bioreactor is expected to begin next year, costing the city’s Public Works Department an estimated $2.3 million. Cambridge, Mass.-based Camp Dresser & Mckee, an environmental engineering and consulting firm, will design the 8- to 9- acre bioreactor, which could be complete by 2007.

The project is part of the Washington-based U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s research and development trial, which enables cities to utilize bioreactor technology and report their findings. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will observe the landfill over a 12-year period and share its findings with state and federal environmental organizations, according to The Associated Press.