The municipality of Lillestrm was criticized for wanting to settle Ukrainian refugees in a disputed residential area above a garbage dump in Brånåsdalen: – Absolutely confident that it is safe, the city government says.

– Will be a double burden for those who come from the run, enter a house that is not safe to live in.

Jan-Hugo Holten, regional manager for Eastern Norway at the Norwegian Environmental Protection Association, told VG.

In the fall of 2018, several measurements were made of the gas found in 19 homes by Brånåsen. Previously, residents had reported health problems such as headaches, fatigue, and respiratory problems.

The residential area is partly built on the former Brånåsdalen landfill, which from 1970 to 1991 received special and household waste. NRK has previously written several cases about gas problem.

In 2019, the municipality bought residents from the housing association, when construction work will be carried out at home.

After repairs last fall, the city authorities decided it was safe to sell the apartments again, and some of them could be used as city housing. It is in these houses that the municipality of Lillestrm has proposed the settlement of Ukrainian refugees.

Formerly Lillestrm . I the first to mention the case.

– The municipality of Lillestrm is the worst municipality I have ever visited. The city government is deliberately exposing people to poor living situations, Holten said.

Do not rule out the possibility of a new gas leak

Vidar Almsten is the city manager for property in the municipality of Lillestrm. He wrote that the city government had taken measurements from time to time under different weather conditions, which showed that there were no harmful gases in the house.

– Recently, measurements have been taken in all the houses concerned, something we will continue. Our overall assessment is that the measurements show good and stable results over time, he wrote and added,

– We absolutely believe it is safe, something the National Institute of Public Health has also confirmed based on the latest measurement results.

Almsten points out that Norway has a great need for housing in light of the refugee crisis, and that the absence of housing indicates that they will have a poor housing situation.

– We will continue the established measurement program and will continue to assess the situation if, contrary to expectations, it should change.

Here Lillestrm wants to settle refugees from Ukraine:

Karina degård is the head of the department at Sintef Norlab, which performs environmental monitoring and chemical analysis, among other things. He stressed that gas measurement results may vary.

– It varies with different atmospheric conditions and things. The landfill where the gas comes from is something that is alive, there are variations over time and the gases move.

degård does not believe that living in the area is dangerous, as long as the city government follows up on the steps that have been taken. However, he did not rule out the possibility of a new gas leak.

– Actions have been taken there, and as long as the municipality frees him, it’s good enough. But what is clear is that it is an area that has its own challenges, so there needs to be a follow-up, he said and added,

– But there’s symbolism in this, you can’t get away with it.

Will consider reviews

On Thursday, the Main Committee on Health and Prevention will consider the refugee settlement case. The city government then has to decide whether the house in the landfill will be used or not.

Jan-Hugo Holten believes that placing refugees in landfills may be illegal.

– The city government can’t plan something that can harm other people, they can’t do it.

He did not rule out that the Norwegian Environmental Protection Association would review, if the city government decided to house the refugees in Brånåsdalen.

– If they allow, I hope to be reported to the police, and I do not rule out we did. If no one else does it, we do it, he said.

– I hope politicians find this to be too unethical.

CORRECTION: It first emerged from the case that the municipality of Lillestrm was sentenced to purchase residents from the housing association after the discovery of gas. The truth is that the housing association had sued the municipality, but the municipality later reached an agreement with the housing association. The municipality did not admit responsibility for the gas intrusion, but purchased residents to spare them from construction work nearby. Case modified on 24.03.2022, on 11.12.