HC Deb 30 November 2000 vol 357 cc794-5W
Mr. Ruane

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much mercury he estimates has been released into the atmosphere from crematoria in the United Kingdom in each of the past 20 years; and if he will make a statement. [141192]

Mr. Hill

The National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory estimates the figures for mercury emissions from crematoria since 1978 as follows:

Year Crematoria (tonnes mercury emitted) UK total Crematoria as percentage of UK total
1978 1.8 39.7 4
1979 2.0 41.7 5
1980 1.3 37.4 3
1981 1.3 36.6 3
1982 1.3 34.0 4
1983 1.3 32.6 4
1984 1.3 30.6 4
1985 1.3 33.9 4
1986 1.3 33.0 4
1987 1.3 31.7 4
1988 1.3 32.9 4
1989 1.3 31.9 4
1990 1.3 31.4 4
1991 1.3 32.2 4
1992 1.3 30.6 4
1993 1.4 24.5 6

Year Crematoria (tonnes mercury emitted) UK total Crematoria as percentage of UK total
1994 1.3 23.6 6
1995 1.3 18.2 7
1996 1.3 14.6 9
1997 1.3 12.9 10
1998 1.3 12.4 11
Total contribution 38.8 953.7 4

My Department is currently reviewing the existing statutory guidance which addresses air pollution from all sectors regulated by local authorities under Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, including that for crematoria.