Landfill gas risk is ‘acceptable’ – report (From Daily Echo)

Fair Oak Landfill gas risk is ‘acceptable’ – report

4:20pm Monday 16th July 2012 in Eastleigh By Bethan Phillips, Reporter

RESIDENTS in Fair Oak have been told that the risk from landfill gas “is within acceptable levels” – though more research is needed.

Houses in the village are built near land that used to be sand quarries, but were filled with domestic rubbish and other waste after the 1960s.

A report by Eastleigh Borough Council says homes were then built very close to the old landfill sites, with some properties possibly built on top of the buried waste.

The Deer Park Business Park was also constructed on top of former landfill.

A study has been completed into the “possible risk of contamination to some properties and residents”.

The research centred on an area of 1,300 homes east of Botley Road and to the north Knowle Lane.

Gases released from domestic waste are potentially toxic and can even be explosive if they accumulate in a confined space.

But an independent inquiry review paid for by Eastleigh Borough Council has found that the risk to the “vast majority” of the homes investigated fall within acceptable levels, in line with Government guidelines.

The area was monitored for over a year, with bore holes installed and samples taken from surface water and soils.

However, research will continue at the site because a higher risk could not be ruled out in some areas.

A spokesperson for Eastleigh Borough Council said: “Because of the complex nature of the sites there are a small number of properties where the assessment of risk has not been able to be concluded and some additional work is required.”