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Cost of cremation set to rise - COMMENT ON THIS STORY
NEW "green" laws look set to push up the cost of a cremation in Scarborough to more than £500.
The extra cost is needed to deal with the environmental pollution caused when a body is cremated, according to a new report.
Scarborough Council bosses want to introduce the 50 charge for all adult cremations at Woodlands Crematorium.
The charge will be on top of the 471 adult cremation fee.
The new charge is being introduced because of changes in environmental legislation relating to mercury emissions which are produced in crematoriums.
The extra 50 will cover the 580,000 cost of the installation of mercury abatement equipment, which will help reduce the level of mercury in the crematorium.
Steve Pogson, health and community safety manager at Scarborough Council, said: "The price of a cremation fluctuates each year according to inflation but this year we have had to enforce this new charge due to the introduction of these requirements.
"This charge will be in place now for the foreseeable future, but this is something we are not alone in as all authorities which have a crematorium will have to install this equipment. "
On average there are around 1,100 cremations each year at Woodlands Crematorium.
The council is also planning to increase the age at which an adult cremation fee is charged from 13 to 16.
Mr Pogson said: "We have increased it as we think 16 is a recognised age for becoming an adult. We thought, particularly with the introduction of this new charge, it was important to increase that age."
The council will discuss the proposed changes at a meeting tomorrow.
The Department for Environ-ment, Food and Rural Affairs has estimated that emissions of mercury from crematoriums will rise by two-thirds by 2020.
The mercury abatement equipment will help reduce the level of mercury emissions and will reduce the potential of exposure to it.
All forms of mercury are toxic to both humans and wildlife.
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Weather for Scarborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
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