Copy of: Our community need help on Cremation & Embalmment studies

[Joseph R Parrish Jr <JoeParrish@compuserve.com>]

Re: Our community need help on Cremation & Embalmment studies

"1. Is the cremation process safe? Is there any emission like mercury,
dioxin, formaldehyde that will threathen the health of preschool kids
who are eating lunch, playing just 100 feet away.

"2. What is the embalmment process? Is there any waste like human blood
from the process? Is there any regulation on disposition of the waste
since dead bodies may be carrying virus."

Kam,
Some thoughts for you.  :
1. As long as all cadavers have no teeth fillings, cremation will not put
out much mercury contamination. 
Otherwise, the mercury of the crematorium must be absorbed by a state of
the art activated carbon 
spray into the effluent, the only effective mercury control system.  A 'bag
house' is not adequate.
Children exposed to mercury vapors will have central nervous system
disturbances; smaller children are 
especially vulnerable.  Particularly observable will be loss of balance due
to poisoning of the medulla, which 
is sometimes reversible.  Psychological abnormalities, ease to flare into
anger, loss of comprehension are 
some of the other side effects.  Oh, yes, any organic material, including
human bodies, produce dioxins when
burned.  Nothing can protect against it, except not producing it.  The
carbon dust system will reduce it 
by about 99 percent, but the result is still quite toxic.

2. Formaldehyde is typically used in embalming.  Formaldehyde is generally
toxic, and has been linked to 
carcinogenisis.  Typical embalming processes release large quantities into
the sewer, with the blood, and 
concommitant fumes affecting any person who may be exposed to sewer gases. 
Sewers are not 
designed to accept toxic chemical substances, and water purification
facilities will not adequately remove it. 
As for dead bodies, they contain whatever kills humans and cause the
deterioration of human bodies.

Move the children, or move the crematorium, and still absolutely require an
activated carbon dust mercury 
removal system.  This is now standard in Scandanavia but the US is far
behind in mercury regulation.  
A distance of perhaps ten miles may be the minimum distance for safety.

We wish the Coalition for Better Community great success in their very
noble efforts.

Joe Parrish
NY/NJ Environmental Watch