By Tate Papworth
Work to investigate “hotspots” at the Kealba landfill will resume today.
Drilling is expected to start to find the cause of a suspected underground fire which has been burning at the site for months.
Investigations into the cause of the fire were paused over the Christmas period.
In November, Barro Group, the operator of the landfill, contacted the EPA to report a suspected fire within one of the waste cells.
It followed several residents complaining of a “toxic, smokey chemical” smell in the area.
Multiple residents have told Star Weekly that they have suffered adverse health conditions as a result of the smell.
The EPA placed air monitoring machinery in two nearby houses for a period of time following the complaints, which rated the area’s air quality as good.
In late December, the environmental watchdog issued Barro with an official order to identify and deal with hotspots in the waste and take measures to prevent future outbreaks.
The notice requires the company to identify each hotspot, seal the landfill cells to cut off air, then pump in water to cool them.
It also requires it to monitor the air for smoke and odour and keep the community informed.
The EPA has warned that scheduled drilling could lead to an increase in odour as the cells are opened.
