PETALING JAYA: As the dust begins to settle on the Putra Heights gas pipeline explosion, environmentalists are raising concerns on the need to test the surrounding area for potential leftover hazardous waste materials and air pollution left behind after the inferno.
Environment Protection Society of Malaysia vice-president Randolph Jeremiah said the ash and combusted debris left in the affected areas may result in localised air pollution.
“These now barren areas could potentially have a lot of ash and other burnt debris particles lying there, which could lead to sudden localised air pollution like fogs to appear, particularly during dry weather conditions.
“It would be wise to sample the nearby affected areas for the presence of any toxic residues to determine if there is a need for site decontamination.
“A waste management plan should also be implemented as soon as possible to systematically clear and dispose of the debris, followed by a site rehabilitation to landscape and replant greenery to restore the area,” he said.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meena Raman said the unknown duration of the gas leak from the pipeline before it exploded could have left behind toxic greenhouse gases like methane in the environment that could affect the health of animals nearby.
“Methane can reduce the amount of oxygen in the environment, inducing health issues for both humans and animals such as vision loss, nausea and vomiting.
“Fine particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less or inhalable particles with diameters of 10 micrometres or less could have also leaked from the pipeline to the environment, causing animals and humans to have breathing difficulties.
“Leaked volatile organic compounds like benzene could produce ground-level smog that causes negative impacts on neurological and cardiovascular systems of animals in the area,” she said.
Meena said the burning of plastics and other items in the nearby homes could have resulted in a release of particulate matter and volatile chemicals that could disrupt not just humans but any animals in the surrounding area.
She pointed out that synthetic materials such as rubber, plastics, upholstery, paints or foam could have released hydrogen cyanide when they were burnt, which could produce similar symptoms as inhaling methane.
She also raised concerns that asbestos in the properties could have burnt, resulting in hazardous asbestos fibres being released into the nearby surroundings.
“The high heat generated by the fire and strong winds on that day could have spread them some distance from the affected area.
“Thankfully, as long as the fire debris is not significantly disturbed, the risk of exposure to airborne asbestos fibres to the public and neighbours is low as concentration of these fibres in the air is very low sometime after the fire is put out,” she said.
Contaminants, she added, could also have been introduced into the environment from foams and other fire retardants used to extinguish the fire, causing long-term effects to the environment.
“Contaminant air deposition and contaminated soils could serve as a long-term source of stormwater, surface water and groundwater contamination.
“As such, besides monitoring air quality, the government should also monitor soil, groundwater and surface water quality and abatement measures. Clean-ups should also be taken accordingly.”
