§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research he has(a) undertaken and (b) commissioned into emissions from crematoriums; and what plans he has to conduct further research. [137039]
§ Mr. MeacherEmissions from crematoriums are regulated under the air pollution control system established by Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. As such, emissions must be controlled in accordance with the Best Available Techniques Not Entailing Excessive Cost. Guidance on BATNEEC for crematoriums was published in 1991 and revised in 1995. A second review of the guidance by the Environment Agency's Local Authority Unit is currently in progress and the revised guidance will also be applicable when crematoriums become regulated under the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999.
My Department, on behalf of Government and the devolved Administrations, has established a programme of monitoring levels of airborne lead and heavy metals (cadmium, arsenic, nickel and mercury) in the UK. This includes measurement in the vicinity of the Sutton Coldfield crematorium. Weekly measurements started in October 1999, and interim results will be posted on the internet shortly (www.aeat.co.uk/netcen/airqual/). A fuller report of the work will be published on the internet, at the same internet address, early next year.
In 1997 my Department commissioned Entec UK Ltd. to carry out tests to investigate the effectiveness of selenium ampoules as a means of abating mercury emissions from crematoria.
My Department has commissioned a report on sources, sinks and levels of atmospheric mercury from DERA. The report will include a review of knowledge of UK emissions of mercury into the atmosphere, details of all the available sources of data on concentrations of mercury in the atmosphere, and a review of the current state of knowledge on the behaviour of mercury in the environment.
The DERA report is expected shortly from the research report pages of the National Air Quality Information Archive on http://www.aeat.co.uk/netcen/airqual/. In the light of that and the advice of the Environment Agency's Local Authority Unit, we will consider commissioning further work on whether any action needs to be taken to reduce mercury emissions from crematoriums and what options are available and in line with BATNEEC.
The most recent air emissions inventory for mercury can be found in the National Air Quality Information Archive at the web address given above.
You may also like to be aware that the Health and Safety Laboratory has carried out mercury analysis on a small number of urine and dust samples collected in crematoriums, and levels have been found to be low.