The city of Sherbrooke has decided against running its municipal fleet on plant-based biofuels, saying it's unethical to divert agricultural products from the food chain.

Employees spent a few weeks looking at fuels derived from corn, soy or canola as a way to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, said Coun. Jean-François Rouleau, who heads the Quebec city's sustainable development committee.

'Agricultural [products] are for feeding people, not for feeding cars and trucks.'—Jean-François Rouleau, Sherbrooke councillor

"I said, 'Listen, whoa, whoa, whoa! Agricultural [products] are for feeding people, not for feeding cars and trucks," he said.

Biofuels are partly to blame for today's global food shortage, Rouleau said, and he disagrees with taking potential food off people's plates in order to put it in fuel tanks.

"We want to work with something else that does not come out of the agricultural chain."

Earlier this week, Rouleau's committee released a report indicating that Sherbrooke's municipal buildings and activities generated about 43,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in 2006 alone.

The city of about 150,000 people located about 100 kilometres east of Montreal burns thousands of litres of diesel and gasoline each year in its garbage and recycling trucks, police cars, and maintenance vehicles.

Sherbrooke has not given up its search for a greener alternative for its vehicles, Rouleau said.

It is now looking into biofuels made from oils reclaimed from deep-frying machines, or from animal fats.