Neighbourhood Meetings

Trinity Consultants Q & A Response:

What are the numbers for heavy metals released? ie mercury?

A highly conservative estimate of the emission concentrations was conducted, under the consideration that if the emission concentrations under this highly conservative, worst-case approach can meet the limit, then the likelihood of actual impacts will be minimal. As mentioned in the prior response, the worst-case scenario for this assessment included:

• worst-case theoretical operation of two (2) cremation units, each for 16 hours a day and 365 days a year. This is highly unlikely as Henry Wasler Funeral Home does not forsee enough demand for cremation to justify this worst-case operation.
• emissions data from a 1992 source test reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was used. The emissions from the newer cremation technologies, such as that to be installed at Henry Walser Funeral Home, are likely to be lower.
• meteorological conditions that result in the worst-case dispersion and maximum emission concentration.

Based on our assessment using the highly conservative approaches noted above, the maximum concentration of mercury at any point at or beyond the property line of Henry Walser Funeral Home is approximately 17% of the Ministry's 24-hour limit while hexavalent chromium is 72% of the Ministry's annual limit. It should be noted that the these maximum emissions concentrations assume that an individual is standing at the property line of Henry Walser Funeral Home for the full duration of the averaging period (i.e. a person standing at the property line of Henry Walser for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year under the worst-case assumptions stated above are predicted to have an impact that is equivalent to 72% of the annual limit for hexavalent chromium). Other heavy metals were predicted to have an emission concentration less than 1% of the Ministry's limit.

How many studies have been done to back up your numbers and who has conducted them - independent researchers or by the companies building the machines?

Manufacturer data is not used to estimate the air emissions from the cremation units. The emissions in the air quality assessment that will be submitted to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change as part of the application for a permit was prepared using results from a stack testing conducted in 1992 by independent and certified testing firm that was reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Further, as part of any permit issued by the Ministry to Henry Wasler Funeral Home for the cremation units to be installed, the Ministry will include a condition that requires the emissions from the cremation unit at Henry Walser Funeral Home to be tested by a stack testing firm (i.e. not the manufacturer). To ensure that the testing methodology and approach meet the Ministry's protocols, a Pre-Test Plan will be required to be submitted by the stack testing firm and will require an approval by the Ministry prior to the start of the testing. Once the stack testing has been completed and the samples are analyzed by an accredited laboratory, a stack testing report containing the results will be submitted by the stack testing firm to the Ministry for review. Permits issued by the Ministry for a crematorium in Ontario will be required to undergo stack testing. Several crematorium units manufactured by Facultatieve Technologies (same manufacturer as the units to be installed at Henry Walser Funeral Home) have been installed in Ontario over the past few years and each of those crematoriums were required to complete stack tests by stack testing firms (i.e. not the manufacturer) and each of those stack test reports would have been submitted to the Ministry for review and approval.

The prevailing winds are in the direction over the Rosemount neighbourhood and there are homes right next to the funeral home - so even if there are very small amounts of output (particulate and or gases) they will fall in the direction of these neighbours - this may be small in the short term but over a year, several years or 20 years this builds up and may create higher concentrations than what is acceptable for human life but also for the life of our wildlife and our soils/gardens - this is very concerning to me as I am doing everything I can to contribute to the betterment of our lives but also for the soil in my gardens.

An air quality assessment was prepared to model the maximum concentration of particulates in the air at any point along the property line of Henry Walser Funeral Home and beyond. The assessment was based using test data from old cremation technology (i.e. 1992) under a theoretical worst-case operating condition and was based on the meteorological conditions that would result in the highest concentrations in the surrounding neighbourhood. Based on this worst-case assessment, the concentrations predicted to occur at any point at or beyond the property line of the Henry Walser Funeral Home is still well-below the Ministry’s standard for particulate matter and below the Ministry’s air quality limits for respirable and inhalable particulates. At these low concentrations, we do not expect any noticeable accumulation in the surrounding neighbourhood.