USEPA describes mercury as naturally occurring element that can be found throughout the environment Different human activities

s can increase or decrease Over exposure for humans is not a good thing

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

What About Mercury . In Minnesota?

Goal is to reduce mercury emissions from human activities by 75% Cremation is one area of review calculated estimates are 2.63 grams released per cremation Cremation issue is self correcting

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

 Mercury enters cremation cycle through silver amalgam tooth fillings Dentistry use of silver amalgam has been steadily declining since 1985 Fillings per person have also been declining Average life of SA fillings are 8-10 years Many are replaced with non mercury alternatives

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

 Is verified data better than calculated estimates ? Data is based on standard accepted protocols and procedures Data is subject to careful review and verification of all sampling and lab work So why guess when facts are available?

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Mercury Emissions Testing Results

United Kingdom mercury testing Most extensive study ever conducted Protocols developed by scientists with Glasgow Occupational Health Royal Infirmary Protocols, procedures and results reviewed and approved by DEFRA and SEPA

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Mercury Emissions Testing Results

British testing standards BSEN13211-2001 Test equipment was NEM-5 continuous Test company Pelican Scientific Ltd. 54 human remains tested @ 2 sites DEFRA and SEPA accepted results as being in compliance with protocols

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Mercury Emissions Testing Results

UK Test 1- Craigton Crematorium October 2006 23 cremations under normal conditions 10 remains suspected no silver amalgam Average mercury release for 23 was 0.128 grams per body Average mercury release for 13 was 0.227 grams per body

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Mercury Emissions Testing Results

UK Test 2- Linn Crematorium September 2007 31 cremations under normal conditions 21 remains suspected no silver amalgam Average mercury release for 31 was 0.323 grams per body Average mercury release for 10 was 1.001 grams per body

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Mercury Emissions Testing Results

Japan mercury testing Very extensive emissions study Protocols and testing conducted by Department of Urban and Environmental Eng. Kyoto University Japan Eco-Technology Research Center Ristumeikan University Japan

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Mercury Emissions Testing Results

Japan testing using both Continuous Emissions Monitoring (Nippon Instruments) and standards JIS K0222 for the sampling 92 human remains tested Results accepted as being in compliance with protocols

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Mercury Emissions Testing Results

Japan 7 crematories tested Results published September 2009 Report revised and published April 2010 92 cremations under normal conditions Average mercury release for 92 was 0.032 grams per body

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Mercury Emissions Testing Results

United States mercury testing Most extensive complete emissions study ever conducted Protocols developed by Midwest Research an approved USEPA contractor Protocols, procedures and results reviewed and approved by USEPA

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Mercury Emissions Testing Results

USEPA testing standards Method 29 for the metals sampling Test company Midwest Research 9 human remains tested USEPA accepted results as being in compliance with protocols USEPA used results as their NEI National Emissions Inventory data

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Mercury Emissions Testing Results

USA Test - Woodlawn Crematorium June 1999 9 cremations under normal conditions 2 remains suspected no silver amalgam Average mercury release for 9 was 0.456 grams per body Average mercury release for 7 was 0.584 grams per body

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Mercury Emissions Testing Results

Combining all 3 test results from UK and USA Using only 30 results suspected of having silver amalgam fillings Worst case scenario that 100% of all bodies cremated have silver amalgam Average mercury release would be 0.568 grams emitted per body

Mercury Emissions Testing Results

Adding Japan data and combining all 4 test results Using all results from UK and USA plus all 92 results from Japan testing Average mercury release would be 0. 13grams emitted per body

Mercury Emissions Testing Results Independent Review

Independent review of UK and USEPA test data Barr Engineering Company Report dated March 2008 Calculated mercury emissions subject to uncertainties in population Emissions from actual cremations are preferred

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Mercury Emissions Testing Results Independent Review

USEPA identified Woodlawn as a representative facility and the basis of their NEI database Bodies cremated for the testing were representative of the overall population Samples were actually weighted to overestimate mercury emissions

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Mercury Emissions Testing Results Independent Review

Increasing USEPAs g/hr rate to include any emissions during warm up and cool down Increased to 0.664 g HG/cremation To account for any variables in testing (age, weight, temperature, etc..) Increase from 0.664 to1.185 g HG/cremation Gives a 95% confidence rating

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Mercury Emissions Testing Results Independent Review Summary

USEPA considers Woodlawn to be representative Woodlawn report is a reliable data source Even using higher adjusted data provided by Barr, HG emissions from crematoria are relatively small as compared to other sources

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

UK crematoria location, 5 soil samples 112,000 cremations performed All samples within acceptable limits Worst sample is 5 x below safe level for food production Site tested considered not contaminated

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

NZ crematoria location, 6 soil samples 4,400 cremations performed All samples within acceptable limits Worst sample is 10 x below safe level for food production Site tested was compared to a reference site (botanical garden) 40km away and HG levels were almost identical

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

CA crematoria location, 6 soil samples Over 3000 cremations performed All samples well below acceptable limits Worst sample is 400 x below safe level for residential land use in California Soil samples were compared to an unrelated reference site and were very similar

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 How does it now control emissions? Why are some emissions reduced and others not? How do other countries deal with HG? What are the pros and cons of filtering emissions?

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Typical Flame Cremation Process

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Typical Matthews Filtration System

2012, Matthews Cremation Division

Funeral / Burial
Container Production and Provision Fuel Production/Consumption Electrical Consumption NOX Emissions Other Emissions Mercury Abatement System KOH Production/Transport CH4/NOX from Water Processing Energy at Processing Plant Delivery of Typical Funeral Burial Process At Grave Grave Maintenance (100yrs) CO2 Reduction Due To Turf Absorption Total kg CO2 Equivalents HCL (kg/hr) Hg (kg/hr)
189 100 103 -39 381 28

Flame Based
28 201 10 3 1

Flame Based w/ Abatement

28 201 10 3 1 18

243 0.07 0.0003

261 0.0001 0.0000002

Data Sources: Sustain Environmental Accounting UK/ Green Burial Council

Lower particulate emissions Lower carbon monoxide emissions Lower carbon dioxide emissions Lower mercury emissions Lower nitrogen oxide emissions Less fuel consumed Less natural resources consumed Improved environmental signature

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2012, Matthews Cremation Division