Lillestrøm municipality’s plan has been to let refugees from Ukraine move into the building. Nevertheless, in April, record amounts of waste gas were measured in the building in Brånåsdalen. In total, gas intrusion was detected from a landfill in 12 of 18 apartments. In three of them there were very high levels. It shows measurements that the company Multiconsult has made for Lillestrøm municipality. The previous residents moved out of the building for fear of health damage and fire in 2019. Since then, the 18 apartments have been empty. Following this, the municipality has invested more than NOK 100 million to secure the residential areas against gas. Among other things, they have upgraded a plant that will suck the gas out of the ground. Keeps on the plan The municipality believes that the gas intrusion that was discovered in April is due to unfortunate circumstances. Therefore, they are on the plan to house refugees in the apartments. – Yes, that’s the plan. These measurements were taken in connection with the plant that was to extract the gas having been out of operation for almost two weeks. And we then see that there are somewhat higher values than what has been measured previously in some homes. The municipal manager for property, Vidar Almsten, is not worried about the measurements from April, and points out that there has been almost zero gas both before and after. Photo: Bård Nafstad / NRKPhoto: Bård Nafstad / NRK This is what Vidar Almsten, who is the municipal manager for property in Lillestrøm. He points out that new measurements in May showed almost no gas in the apartments, and that this has almost been the rule in the last year. – Completely beyond – No, no, no, says Halvor Erikstein in disbelief. He has worked to improve the working environment in the oil industry for 30 years. Occupational hygienist Halvor Erikstein is shocked by the amount of landfill gas detected in the apartments. Photo: Odin Omland / NRKPhoto: Odin Omland / NRK Erikstein is startled when he hears how much waste gas was detected in the apartments in Lillestrøm. At most, 6,000 million parts of methane (ppm) were measured. This is 600 times more than the limit set by the municipality itself to assess measures. According to the report, the highest levels were measured in sockets and at baseboards in bedrooms and living rooms. But also in the air a lot of gas was detected. – This is grotesque. This is beyond. People should not live in such an environment, Erikstein exclaims. Methane gas can catch fire if there is enough of it. What worries Erikstein the most, however, are the other potentially harmful substances that can accompany methane gas. Which you have no control over. – Not dangerous The municipality disagrees that it is dangerous or harmful to health to live in the apartments. The amounts of methane that have been measured are not harmful, they believe. Previously, the homes have also been checked for the carcinogenic substance benzene, without finding dangerous amounts. With regard to the gas discoveries in April, the municipality’s consultants write that the three worst affected apartments must be followed up. When IFE carried out measurements of gas emissions outdoors last year, they found that it was particularly bad in the area where Lillehaugen is located. Photo: Department of Energy Technology / IFE Gambling The follow-up is especially important in the event of a shutdown in the gas system and in the event of severe low pressure. It is also especially important if the apartments are inhabited, the report states. -When there is high air pressure bubbles and it boils in the ground. When the air pressure is low, it is like picking up the cap on a soda bottle, Erikstein describes. Up from the ground by this building, it is not just dandelions that are pushing themselves. Garbage gases from the municipality’s closed landfill are also detected. Photo: Bård Nafstad He believes the municipality has no control over this and that they therefore take a big chance by letting someone live in the apartments. – It is shocking that you think it should go well to settle people in the environment that you have so little control over. It turns out from measurements at landfills that it is very dependent on the air pressure. Not worried Lillestrøm’s property manager, on the other hand, is not anxious. – Yes, there are not particularly high levels, neither in terms of explosion hazard nor health hazard. So we are not worried about that, no, says Almsten. He also says that there was low pressure when the consultants examined the apartments in February, without any results then. Gas going astray Although the municipality has spent large sums on sucking up gas from the residential area, there have been gas problems elsewhere as well. Among other things, some dog owners have refused to use the new dog park due to high gas volumes in a basin. According to NRK’s notice, the municipality has mounted a pipe that directs the gas from the basin and high into the air. Gas going astray: The video shows that it bubbles in a puddle in Brånåsdalen. Bård Nafstad / NRK On the football field, it was also discovered that the gas from the landfill causes it to bubble in puddles.
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Found record high gas volumes in April. Will still settle refugees there
