ENVIRONMENTAL authorities have ordered a Brooklyn company to extinguish a fire burning in a former landfill site.
The underground fire is burning in Transpacific Industries Group’s closed Market Road landfill site.
‘‘Hot spots’’ were detected on June 29 during routine landfill gas management planning work.
The company notified the Metropolitan Fire Brigade and Environment Protection Authority, but issued a statement saying that it does not believe the community is at risk.
“While the cause of the increased temperatures is not known at this stage, we are undertaking further testing on the site to determine the best course of action,” the company said.
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Underground landfill fires are most commonly caused by an increase in oxygen levels.
EPA environmental regulation director Chris Webb labelled the fire a “disappointing development” after years of community and regulatory effort to rid the area of dust and odour.
“This community has suffered enough,” he said. Mr Webb said the company had been given notice that it must put out the fire.
EPA spokeswoman Tanya O’Shea said landfill fires could generally be avoided through appropriate site management.
“Landfill fires are common in sites which have undergone either gas extraction or those which are not properly rehabilitated,” she said.
Smoke and odour may be generated as part of extinguishing the fire.
Report pollution to EPA on 1300 EPA Vic (1300 372 842).
