ask someone at the crematorium...

[MR GUS]

How much output does a weeks typical burn-up at the crematorium kick out in terms of useful energy otherwise unharnessed?

that said, & bearing the high cost of funerals, do any crems actually utilise the "fuel" into warming the rads etc? (would they admit it, or is it good old Daily Mail scandal if they did)
surely with tougher regs & businesses having to go greenwith waste etc crematoriums are prime for a good set up & carbon trading vouchers for sale? ..seems logical & not overly distasteful to me! 

[mespilus]

One of the hidden drivers of Council Tax increases has been the need to clean up crematorium emissions.

Think of all that mercury amalgam going up the flue.

Thinking about it I've never been cold in a crematorium building.

[Mike N.]

that said, & bearing the high cost of funerals, do any crems actually utilise the "fuel" into warming the rads etc? (would they admit it, or is it good old Daily Mail scandal if they did)
surely with tougher regs & businesses having to go greenwith waste etc crematoriums are prime for a good set up & carbon trading vouchers for sale? ..seems logical & not overly distasteful to me! 

I believe Chelmsford and Manchester are considering it, and Stockholm already do:

  08 November 2002 
Swedish crematorium heats Stockholm housing
A crematorium in Stockholm has opted to become more environmentally friendly by pumping the excess heat from its furnace into the city’s central heating system, reports the Swedish national newspaper Dagens Nyheter.

Five years ago, the Racksta crematorium offered to channel its excess heat to water carried through the city’s central heating system to warm houses and apartment blocks. At the time, power company Stockholm Energi declined the

offer, believing that the move would be unpopular with the public.

But the offer remained, and instead of condemning the idea as unethical, a number of bishops and members of the public have declared the initiative appropriate and environmentally friendly. Two other crematoriums already tap into the heating network, with Racksta set to become the third, says DN.

The idea stemmed from the crematorium’s need to cool down the furnace to clear it of smoke. Because the operation would require a large volume of water, a link to Stockholm’s heating system was proposed.

Although water pumped from the pipelines is relatively hot, it is still cool enough to reduce the furnace’s temperature from over a thousand degrees to 150 degrees. In the process the water itself is heated up, thus contributing to the city’s central heating. The alternative method of cooling the furnace, using electric fans, is energy intensive and expensive, while the new method benefits both the city and the crematorium.


I have also been told that for emissions reasons, you can no longer be burned in your favourite wellies, though leather boots are OK.

Mike

[ajstoneservices]

Think of all that mercury amalgam going up the flue.

.

Wont be a problem much longer once this Government and the next have finished extracting the last drop of blood, you're fillings and hair will be next.

[Ivan]

Isn't that an idea suggested in the 1932 novel 'Brave New World' ?

[KenB]

List,

Most crematoria are fired by natural gas, in order to get a rapid, high temperature combustion to eliminate emissions.

Having recently visited one, I observed a huge amount of heat plume from the chimney.

I suspect any heat recovery system would be deemed a little bit "in bad taste".    I demand a rebate......




Ken

[Ted]

Mercury emissions from crematoria have been the subject of considerable concern over recent years with projects to install chimney scrubbers to address the problem. A large percentage of the Mercury in the UK atmosphere is, or was, from this source.

[Ivan]

from fillings?

[Ted]

Yep, dental amalgam is 50% mercury.

The average emission is 0.9g per cremation. Without the scrubber programme crematoria were heading to be producing 30% of UK mercury emissions by 2020 mainly caused by the changing profile of the dental state  of the deceased over that period.

Coal powered electricity generation is mostly responsible for the balance. Total annual UK mercury emissions are a staggering 7.6 tonnes.

[Ivan]

Hmm. An easy solution might be to remove teeth prior to burning. I bet that would be a lot cheaper and even with scrubbers, I bet some mercury gets through. Can't imagine it would be very popular with the clients though.

Incidentally, I heard that breast implants are a major problem in crematoria - especially in the USA, where a considerable proportion of middle class women have this luxury upgrade....

[ajstoneservices]

luxury upgrade....

.

That's a matter of opinion vomit ain't nothin like the real thing baby

[heatherw]

Do I scent an anecdote?

How do you know?

[ajstoneservices]

Heather
your'e not trying to squeeze an answer from me are you.

Tony

[NickW]

One of the hidden drivers of Council Tax increases has been the need to clean up crematorium emissions.

Think of all that mercury amalgam going up the flue.

Thinking about it I've never been cold in a crematorium building.

Not really - most municipal crematoriums make a decent profit. The problem is the profit is gobbled up as a surplus rather than part of it being banked for replacements / upgrades.