Mr. DinerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the amount of mercury present in ashes after cremation. [181691]
§ Alun MichaelThe question relates specifically to the residue of ashes left after cremation. The report of the monitoring undertaken by AEA Technology for the Federation of British Crematorium Authorities showed that all mercury is released into the atmosphere during cremation. It follows that we do not see mercury in ashes to be an issue.