Not your typical emissions testing within the UK

Davies & Co (Environmental) Ltd have in recent months been involved in emissions testing not typically associated with routine UK Crematoria assignments.

The emissions of NOx (oxides of nitrogen) are not a prescribed substance under UK pollution control legislation as given in Process Guidance Note PG5/2(12) that states the emission limits that apply to UK Crematoria. There is, however, increasing concern as to the effects of these pollutants on health, particularly the increased likelihood of respiratory problems. Nitrogen dioxide inflames the lining of the lungs, and can reduce immunity to lung infections. This can cause problems such as wheezing, coughing, colds, flu and bronchitis.

It is for these reasons that three recently opened Crematoria in the UK have elected to incorporate the Facultatieve Technologies DeNOx technology in their design that reduce NOx emissions by up to 80% from typical levels. This has been done not to meet emissions limit targets (as these have yet to be set), but to help improve local air quality standards in the vicinity of the facility. Davies & Co (Environmental) Ltd were involved in monitoring NOx emissions to prove the effectiveness of the technology, and the overall implications of emissions to atmosphere.

Similarly, Davies & Co (Environmental) Ltd have also undertaken flue gas analysis tests on various types of coffins that were cremated empty in order to assess their impact on the overall emissions from the process.

In addition to these, further tests were carried out to quantify the emissions from empty body bags of various type and materials. Furthermore, trials to assess the effects of the recently introduced bullet-sized heart pacemakers being subjected to the high temperatures in a cremator were conducted. There are concerns that as these pacemakers are around 90% smaller than conventional pacemakers, they may not always be removed post-mortem due to their small size, making them difficult to locate. The Davies & Co (Environmental) Ltd tests indicated that any increased emissions via the chimney are so small as to be impossible to quantify, and concerns that were expressed as to the potential explosive effects of these devices when subjected to very high temperatures were unfounded.