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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Check cremators' safety, environment watchdog says amid increase in COVID-19 deaths

Check cremators' safety, environment watchdog says amid increase in COVID-19 deaths

Published Apr 10, 2021 04:08 pm

The environment watchdog Ecowaste Coalition urged the government on Saturday, April 10, to check the safety of what it described as overworked creamtors amid the piling of bodies for cremation as a result of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

(RON LOPEZ / AFPTV / AFP / File photo / MANILA BULLETIN)

“Our society also has to look after the health and safety of our overburdened funeral service and crematorium workers, who are COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) frontliners themselves,” said Thony Dizon, a chemical safety campaigner from the EcoWaste Coalition.

“We hope they are provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, are able to adequately rest, and are justly compensated,” he added.

The group also prodded national and local government authorities to check on the compliance of crematories to the Clean Air Act and related regulations. It added that random inspections of public and private crematories should also be done to check whether or not they are compliant with the requirements of the Clean Air Act and related regulations.

“As overburdened crematoria grapple with rising COVID deaths, we urge our environmental law enforcers to make it sure that relevant pollution prevention laws are strictly observed to protect the health of the living, especially downwind communities, from hazardous air pollutants,” Dizon said.

A compliant cremation facility has a valid permit to operate; a registered hazardous waste generator; submits quarterly self-monitoring reports; has an accredited pollution control officer; and has adequate pollution prevention and control measures to ensure emissions are within “acceptable levels.”

The group cited a 2018 study on the “Emission Characteristics of Harmful Air Pollutants from Cremators in Beijing, China” which notes that “the process of corpse cremation generates numerous harmful air pollutants, including particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and heavy metals.”

It added that “these pollutants could have severe effects on the surrounding environment and human health.”

Meanwhile, with some facilities reportedly jacking up their fees, the EcoWaste Coalition also requested the government to monitor cremation and urn prices and provide subsidies for those in need.

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