An illustration showing multiple domes at a landfill site. Image credits: Sustain Wiltshire

Rotting trash is not something people usually associate with fresh food. However, at a landfill in Royal Wootton Bassett, England, waste gases are being turned into a controlled environment where fruit and vegetables can grow all year long. 

A huge inflatable dome installed at the site uses methane-generated electricity and carbon dioxide produced from landfill waste to grow crops—even those that normally struggle in the UK climate. 

“On this one site alone, we have the potential to produce over 8,000 tonnes of affordable fruit and vegetables annually, creating 130 new jobs, while preventing the release of 3,800 tonnes of CO2 each year,” project director Nick Ash told The Telegraph.

If the idea works at scale, it could transform how cities produce food and turn landfills from environmental liabilities into local food factories.

A dome built to sit above a landfill

The dome is installed on a landfill site operated by Crapper and Sons and developed through a project by the community-focused company Sustain Wiltshire. Measuring about 20 meters by 40 meters and 9 meters tall (65 ft by 130 ft by 30 ft), the dome covers an area roughly three times the size of a tennis court and reaches the height of a three-storey building.

The dome in the background. Image credits: Tom Wren/Sustain Wiltshire

Like many modern landfill sites, the location already captures methane gas produced as organic waste decomposes underground. However, instead of letting this methane escape into the atmosphere, the gas is burned to generate electricity. 

This process produces two useful outputs: power and a steady flux of carbon dioxide. The electricity is used to run the dome’s systems, including heating, ventilation, fans, and ultraviolet grow lights needed for crop cultivation. 

Meanwhile, the carbon dioxide produced during methane combustion is captured and redirected for use inside the dome to prop up crop growth.

“Carbon dioxide will be collected from the engine exhausts, where it will be cleaned and stored for use in the growing domes. The process of photosynthesis will turn the carbon dioxide into oxygen,” the Sustain Wiltshire team notes.

Interestingly, the structure is built in a way that it stays inflated using air pressure, allowing it to maintain its shape without heavy internal supports. This design keeps the growing environment slightly separated from the landfill surface, preventing contaminants from entering the growing space.

Plus, “each growing dome is kept rigid through the use of positive pressure and an airlock door that keeps out unwanted insects and pollen,” the Sustain Wiltshire team added.

Moreover, the structure is portable. As sections of the landfill are filled again with waste and begin producing methane, the domes can be relocated to areas where gas capture is active.

A controlled farm inside the dome

Inside the structure, conditions can be carefully controlled to support plant growth throughout the year. For instance, power generated from methane at the landfill powers the dome’s heating, ventilation, and special UV grow lights, allowing crops to grow even when natural sunlight is limited.

Carbon dioxide from methane combustion is also pumped into the dome to enrich the air. Since plants absorb CO₂ during photosynthesis, higher concentrations can significantly boost crop growth in controlled environments.

“CO2 enrichment in growing domes is also well practised, and allows crops to meet their photosynthesis potential,” the Sustain Wiltshire team notes.

In addition to this, the crops inside the dome are grown using a combination of methods, including hydroponics, raised growing beds, and plant containers, allowing different types of vegetables to be cultivated in a relatively compact space.

Initial produce will include everyday vegetables such as carrots and onions, though the system could eventually support more unusual plants. Also, because the environment inside the dome is warm and CO₂-rich, it could even allow crops such as avocados, which normally cannot grow in the UK climate.

Even at this early stage, a single dome could produce around 10 tonnes of fruit and vegetables. The food will be sold through a mobile app and delivered locally, while any food waste will be collected and returned to the landfill to re-enter the waste-to-energy cycle.

The future of landfill-powered farming

If the prototype proves successful, the developers plan to build another 20 similar domes. This approach has the potential to reduce the UK’s dependence on imported produce by enabling year-round local agriculture, even during the coldest months. 

Moreover, the idea could spread far beyond the UK. Landfills exist around the world—and many already capture methane for energy.  So with domes like these, the same sites could function as sustainable urban farms—turning piles of waste into clean and fresh harvest.

The success of the Royal Wootton Bassett dome could dramatically change how landfills are viewed. Instead of being seen purely as waste dumps, they could become part of a circular system that produces energy, food, and reusable materials.