crematorium in the neighborhood

Hm. What's that thick dark smoke coming out of the funeral home? Should I call someone it looks like a big fire!? Oh, wait....

So I'm growing food down the road from cemetary, and now I've found out, a crematorium. (and no this isn't the maggot-free yard). In all matters physical as well as energetic and spiritual, how do you guys think this is affecting the food?

I would just be happy that some people chose to essentially eliminate their bodies from this world rather than take up more space after being mummified. Burial and embalming seems pretty bizarre to me, especially knowing that the chemicals are eventually returned to the soil. Spiritually it seems pleasant to me. Rather like the smoke is carrying off the soul.

Ask if they have any scraps they want to donate for compost. I'm sorry I had to..

tsk.tsk. tranquil. but shhhh I thought that too  that could be a whole 'nother  book like Humanure. ok I can't think about it anymore I'm getting a little irked.

lol, sorry. I told my family I wanted to be put to good use as compost and they kind of freaked too.

I just got back from the Washington state permaculture convergence which is put on by Michael "Skeeter"  Pilarski.   I remember the first time I met him, everybody was asked to introduce themselves and say a bit about who they are.  Skeeter said "My name is Michael Pilarski and I am temporarily not soil."

What a cool guy.

Back on topic ...  crematorium ...  I have zero information, but I'm willing to toss in my opinion anyway.  I'm just kinda obnoxious that way. 

I feel there is a slight heebie-jeebie factor about dead people.  But I think that has everything to do with the great unknown surrounding death and my own spiritual stuff.  As for toxicity:  I suppose somebody that was a drug addict, or somebody on some really toxic meds ... having their ashes go up into the air could be less than optimal.  But I think that I would be 300 times more concerned about what they put on their lawn every year than about incinerating 1000 bodies per year. 

Good question, Kelda.

I'm not sure what's coming out of that structure. Most of the problems would seem to be air pollution oriented. However, I'm not sure what happens to soot or if heavy metals are thrown into the air to rain down on the countryside. Here is a link I found to a University of Florida site on Crematorium Emissions: http://www.ees.ufl.edu/homepp/cywu/ENV4121/Project2001/Crematory/Crematory.htm.

If I were you I would ask to speak to the director of the funeral home and ask him or her some questions (in a friendly manner, of course). He or she may be able to tell you about the technologies they use to keep the community safe.

Dave

My housemate just thought of another factor: Is the person being burned full of chemicals after cancer treatment? Were they eating a good diet or not?

Thanks for the doc! I'll look more into it when I get a bigger chunk of time.

It is a little disconcerting. But I would imagine most things would be in such small amounts in the body that you are in far more danger having a car drive past you with all the stuff they burp out than being in the vicinity of a burning body.

Somebody mentioned that these folks are pumped up with chemical to keep them looking good for the funeral.  And burning those chemicals could be really icky.

The Evironmental Protection Agency (EPA) has insisted that most businesses that burn stuff (coal-burning power plants, cement factories, etc) install "scrubbers" in their smoke stacks to collect most of the "chunks" and pollutants.  I wouldn't be a bit surprised to find that crematoriums have to do the same.

Call your local EPA office and ask. 

Sue