Australia, July 29: SMOKE and smells from the cremation of bodies will be banned after an investigation by the environment protection authority found both were allowed to be discharged under present rules in South Australia.
The authority investigated 10 crematoriums after an industry expert complained about confusion created by strict monitoring of emissions in the burning of medical waste while human and animal bodies were allowed to be cremated without monitoring what was released from smoke stacks.
Co-author of the authority’s Audit of the Crematoria Sector, Pettina Venner, said the inquiry confirmed the views of the industry expert that rules were too focused on the process of burning the remains, not the smoke and odour emitted.
She said present rules prescribe the amount of fuel gas used, temperatures and length of time to burn remains but variations in the equipment and techniques used by crematoriums made those inaccurate.
“What we realised is that we need to be focused on the outcome (smoke and emissions) and the technical detail of the operation will be allowed to change from one operator to the other,” she said. “Most crematoria have smoke measurement but we did not set licence conditions for smoke or odour emissions.
“There now will be because that is what is important, the licence conditions should minimise that pollution.”
The audit determined new requirements would insist there is no visible smoke nor odour being emitted from a facility in normal operation.
Ms Venner said in investigations by the authority neither smoke nor odour had been observed from any of the 10 crematoriums . All had been “operating well”.
The new rules, however, would provide comfort for neighbours of crematoria and families of those cremated.
Cremation chambers first burn the remains and then send smoke and gases to a second chamber to be burnt again under high temperatures.
Emissions from smoke stacks can include organic matter as well as toxins such as carbon dioxide, mercury and amalgam.
Ms Venner said crematoriums now would be required to keep a log of any smoke or odour emissions, the cause, and how the problem had been fixed.
—-Agencies