Innovation: Landfill spyplanes

Researchers at Aston University in Birmingham are currently evaluating the use of airborne remote sensing for monitoring domestic and industrial landfill sites. Many sites date from before regulation was introduced, and little is known about either their location or what they contain. The team used infra-red images taken from low-flying planes to highlight warm spots in 25 sites. These spots could be caused by methane gas, which can be generated by decomposing material for up to 50 years after the tip is filled.