(KMOV.com) – Residents living in the Ashton Woods neighborhood are concerned about methane gas migrating from decaying waste in a landfill near their homes.
“I had no idea it was here. None, whatsoever. I was never told about it,” said resident Karen Barnes.
The homes in the Ashton Woods neighborhood sit within 1500 feet of the Missouri Pass Landfill. Barnes learned today from a letter that methane gas could possibly seep into her basement.
“I don’t know why [information about the landfill] wasn’t disclosed when I bought here. But it concerns me more because of the danger to my home,” she said. “I mean it could maybe explode.”
The landfill sent letters to residents last week, although several people in the Ashton Woods neighborhood said they never received it. Calls to the landfill manager were not returned.
Methane is collected at the landfill and burned off. The methane becomes most dangerous when it mixes with oxygen, meaning that once it migrates away from the landfill, it could be a headache for residents and nearby businesses.
This could be especially problematic for the Ranken-Jordan Pediatric Hospital, which sits less than 1000 feet away from the landfill. The hospital said patient safety is its top concern, and it is planning to meet with landfill officials tomorrow.
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