Cremation conundrum

8:10am Wednesday 8th October 2008

Comments (10)   Have your say »

CREMATION bosses must lose a back-up cremator or else spend more than half a million pounds, they have been told.

Officials are to install new equipment to manage mercury emissions produced in cremations, to prevent it damaging the atmosphere. The emissions arise when dental fillings are vapourised.

To make space for the equipment, they must build a costly extension or get rid of one of their three cremators.

Coun Ann Reid, City of York Council’s neighbourhood services boss, said that “in an ideal world” all three cremators would be kept and the extension built.

But that would cost £525,000 and she said it may be too expensive. Getting rid of a cremator, and fitting equipment to the other two would cost £380,000.

Coun Reid said the crematorium could operate with two cremators, but problems could then arise if one of those broke down. In such circumstances, funerals could be delayed or moved to Leeds.

Andy Hudson, the council’s assistant director of neighbourhood services, said if the council cut down to two cremators it would need to pay for a more stringent maintenance programme to reduce the risk of problems.

The Government says crematoria must halve their mercury emissions by 2012. Councils can install their own systems or else “trade” with other authorities that manage more than half of their emissions.

Coun Reid said the council should install its own equipment, and had to declare its intentions now to the Government. The decision on whether to get rid of a cremator or build an extension will not be made until next year’s budget process, in the new year.

Councillors will consider the issue next Wednesday.