HC Deb 07 October 2003 vol 411 c139W
Mrs. Helen Clark:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has made an assessment of the health benefits of reducing mercury emission from crematoria, using the methodology developed for assessing the health benefits of the National Air Quality Strategy. [131760]

Mr. Bradshaw:

The methodology for the Air Quality Strategy is aimed at assessing the health impacts for pollutants where inhalation is the main route of exposure. It is not appropriate to use this methodology in this case because exposure through inhalation is negligable.

Crematoria are a source of inorganic mercury. This is associated with tremors, gingivitis and/or minor psychological changes, together with spontaneous abortion and congenital malformation.

Concern arises from the fact that this inorganic mercury can be transported over long distances and be transformed to methyl mercury in the bottom sediments of aquatic ecosystems. Methyl mercury can cause damage to the brain, kidneys and the central nervous system; as it readily crosses the placental barrier, foetal brain levels are approximately 5–7 times higher than in maternal blood. Foetal and postnatal exposures have given rise to abortion, congenital malformation and development changes in young children, with toxic effects in infants even when absent in the mother.

The UK's long-standing policy approach is therefore to minimise, wherever practicable, the amounts of mercury entering the environment from all human activities. We have been discussing with the crematoria sector how they might mitigate any impacts.