METHANE gas has been found to be drifting from old urban landfills into nearby areas, posing a potential safety risk to the public, a study commissioned by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has found.
Methane is created when rubbish in landfills decomposes and can be explosive in the right combination with oxygen. It can also cause asphyxiation if it is in a confined space, although in open areas it should not be a problem.
In Britain, there have been reports of explosions caused by methane build-up and a fire in a Jordan Valley landfill a few weeks ago may be linked to methane.
The EPD's study found no evidence that anyone in Hongkong was currently at risk from the gas, although it recommended precautionary measures to control the problem.
The study looked at five urban landfills - Ngau Chi Wan, Ma Yau Tong Central and West, Gin Drinker's Bay and Jordan Valley. All have been closed because they are full.
The EPD's officer in charge of project development, Mr Michael Wu Ming-wo, said Jordan Valley was found to be the most problematic for landfill gas, probably because its closure in 1990 meant larger amounts of methane were being produced.
