Skip to main content

Written question asked by Lord Forsyth of Drumlean (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Rooker (Labour) on Monday, 25 June 2007.


Mercury: Crematoria

Question
asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their estimate of the quantity of mercury introduced into the atmosphere each year in the United Kingdom as a result of cremations.
Answer

The National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory gives the following figures for the emission of mercury from crematoria from 1970 to 2005:

1970-1975 0.2 tonnes per year
1976-1982 0.3 tonnes per year
1983-1987 0.4 tonnes per year
1988-1991 0.5 tonnes per year
1992-1994 0.6 tonnes per year
1995-1999 0.7 tonnes per year
2000-2005 0.8 tonnes per year

We have introduced controls over mercury emissions from new crematoria, and covering 50 per cent of cremations at existing crematoria (by the end of 2012), following two consultations. Consultation papers are available from the Defra website.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
4366; 693 c112WA
Session
2006-07
Subjects
Mercury Crematoriums
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk