Heat created by burning the dead at crematoria could be used to keep mourners warm under plans to make funerals more environmentally-friendly. Instead of letting the gases emitted by cremation escape into the atmosphere, councils want to use them to heat radiators or even generate electricity.
They admit some might find the idea of being kept warm by the remains of their loved-ones macabre. But there are thought to be no religious objections, and ever-tighter controls on pollution mean such systems could become commonplace.
Harmful mercury emissions are created by cremating those with old tooth fillings. To meet tough pollution targets, councils are having to fit filters to crematoria. Cremation requires temperatures of as much as 1,000C but this must be reduced to around 160C for the mercury to be removed, which requires heat exchangers to be installed in chimneys. This involves passing the hot fumes through what are effectively cold water radiators. They absorb much of the heat and it is this which can be reused.
Tameside Council in Greater Manchester is planning to link heat exchangers at Dukinfield Crematorium with its boiler system and hopes to use it to generate electricity through turbines.
Environment officer Robin Monk said: "We are conscious that it might be a sensitive matter. Basically, it's just heat which will otherwise be lost. We could just install the mercury abatement equipment. But in this day and age we all have to look at reducing our carbon footprint."
Government requirements that half of cremations are subject to mercury filtration by 2012 means many more are likely to follow Tameside. |