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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BY DEPUTY M. TADIER OF ST. BRELADE
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 16th JUNE 2015
Question
Can the Minister give an assurance that measures will be taken promptly to prevent all toxic emissions at the Crematorium, to meet with the Scrutiny Legacy Report recommendations, and outline what measures, if any, will be introduced and how they are likely to be delivered?
Answer
I would like to reassure Islanders that there is no evidence of any negative impact on the health of Islanders from possible toxic emissions – particularly of mercury – from the crematorium. Nor is any such harm likely to occur in the future, given that the use of mercury in dentistry has been in decline for some time. The level of activity at Jersey crematorium is very much lower than in mainland crematoria – many without mercury abatement systems. These crematoria serve populations much larger than Jersey's. Even around the much larger, busier crematoria there have been no reports of health harms caused by mercury. This provides added confidence that any current or prospective risk here is of an extremely low order indeed.
There are no plans to fit abatement equipment to the existing crematorium. When the time is right to replace or renew the cremators, abatement and control of emissions will be one of many factors that will be considered. In the meantime, the two cremators are serviced regularly and certificated by UK experts.
Work is ongoing to bring up to date and to future proof legislation around cremation, burials and exhumations.