If you are worried about the cost of living, try this: The cost of the average cremation in Britain is expected to rise by up to £100 (160 euros) after a government announcement that it wants to halve the amount of mercury released into the atmosphere by crematoria. It seems we accumulate the highly poisonous metal in dental fillings. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs says that, without action, mercury emissions from crematoria could rise by two thirds by 2020. Body disposal already accounts for 16 per cent of mercury emissions in the UK. The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) gave warning that the furnacemen would inevitably pass on the extra cost to the bereaved. I learned about this from the Natural Death Centre newsletter.
