ACCORDING to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Far Knowe landfill site at Easter Langlee has emitted more than eleven million kilograms of harmful methane gas over the past 10 years.

The reporting threshold for methane – the level at which local authorities and other waste disposers must notify SEPA about the scale of emissions – is 10,000kg per annum.

In 2013, Easter Langlee’s annual methane emissions totalled 300,000kg – 30 times above that threshold – but lower than in previous years.

In 2004, 2007 and 2008, the figure exceeded 2million kg, bringing the annual average during the last decade to 1.1million kg.

It has been estimated a cow produces an average of 100kg of methane in a year, so it would require a herd of 11,000 to match Easter Langlee’s average output.

The SEPA information site reveals that methane has a “life” of 10 years, adding: “On a local scale, a build up of methane poses an explosion hazard which can result in evacuation over old landfills or mines.

“The UK’s biggest source of methane is from rotting rubbish in landfill.” Meanwhile, the reporting threshold of one kilogram per year for chloroflurocarbons (CFCs), which have the potential to destroy the ozone layer, are also exceeded at Easter Langlee.

SEPA records show varying levels of CFCs being emitted from 94.1kg in 2007 down to 11.7kg in 2009. The most recent figure was 27.5kg in 2013.

Emissions of methyl chloroform with a potential to contaminate water courses and accumulate in aquatic life were above the reporting threshold of 10kg per annum in six out of the last seven years with the highest reading of 43.3kg recorded in 2007.

The figures cast into focus the recent decision of Scottish Borders Council, which runs the site, to abandon as waste management project which would have drastically cut the amount of waste going to landfill.

Last week the Border Telegraph reported that work has stopped on the biggest housing development in the Borders after traces of deadly gases were found at Easter Langlee. And new families have been prevented from moving into their dream homes.

Jim Kirkpatrick, managing director at Persimmon Homes East Scotland, which is behind the new development, said: “Persimmon Homes were recently required to provide the Scottish Borders council with a contamination report in order to pass suspensive planning conditions for phase two at Easter Langlee. This report highlighted elevated levels of natural gases, methane and carbon dioxide, around the northern boundary of the site. As a result we have been asked to provide another report which identifies the areas affected and details any mitigation work proposed to deal with this issue.

“This new report, which was prepared by our independent environmental consultant, was submitted to the council recently. We believe it confirms that a handful of properties along the northern boundary of the development will require a standard gas membrane. However, the vast majority of units, including those under construction in phase two, will be unaffected.

“We have agreed with the council to suspend construction work on the area in question until they are fully satisfied with a new report which allows them to sign off our suspensive planning conditions.”