"Crematoria warned over mercury", BBC News, January 10, 2005,
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4160895.stm

Strict rules for crematoria to limit mercury pollution caused when
tooth fillings are vaporised have been announced by ministers.

The industry has been told mercury filtering equipment must be fitted
at crematoria by 2012 to halve emissions.

Exposure to the metal is linked to damage to the brain, nervous system
and fertility with crematoria responsible for 16% of the UK's mercury
pollution.

But the industry accused the government of over-reacting.

Duncan McCallum, secretary of the Federation of British Cremation
Authorities, said: "I think the industry feels it is a bit like using a
sledgehammer to crack a nut. We are disappointed.

"We are not sure crematoria are such big contributors as the government
says.

"The problem is that not all crematoria will be able to fit the
equipment.

"The filters are quite large and some crematoria are in small buildings
that are listed so it may not be possible to install them."

He also said the equipment, which costs £250,000, would be too
expensive for some of the 650 crematoria in the UK.

However, he allayed fears crematoria would be forced to close -
originally it was thought one in four would not be able to cope once
the new rules came into place.

Emissions

He said the industry was setting up a "trading scheme" which would
allow crematoria without filters too buy credits off ones that do have
them.

As the equipment reduces mercury emissions by up to 99% and the rules
stipulate emissions must be halved, crematoria with the equipment will
be able to make up the shortfall for crematoria without the filters.

However, the government defended the new rules, saying that unless
action was taken mercury emissions would rise by two-thirds by 2020.

The government is committed to reducing mercury pollution under the UN
Heavy Metals Protocol.

Restrictions on other industries have already helped reduce mercury
emissions from 31.6 tonnes in 1990 to eight tonnes in 2002.

And Environment Minister Larry Whitty said: "By 2020, crematoria will
be by far the biggest single contributor to mercury emissions in this
country.

"Something must be done. Our decision - on which we consulted widely -
strikes a balance between the concerns about cost to crematoria and the
need to control emissions of a substance which can damage human health
and the environment."