We, the undersigned, are asking Tom Saylor (head of the Greenup County Planning Commission), members of the Greenup County Planning Commission, Ron Fields (mayor of Flatwoods) and Flatwoods council members (Buford Hurley, Louie Gabbard, Rosa Gullett, Ray Sloan, Mark House and Steve Tolliver) to oppose the proposed crematorium in Flatwoods. 

We understand that cremation is growing in popularity (largely due to rising burial costs) and that the proposed property is zoned commercial. However, we believe that a crematorium isn’t an appropriate business to have in a largely residential community for several reasons including the probable effect on home values and potential health hazards. 

A cremated corpse takes 3 hours of burning and releases almost 600 pounds of carbon dioxide, this is the equivalent of a 500 mile car trip. According to the published research paper “Toxic Emissions from Crematories: A Review” by Montse Mari and Jose L. Domingo, “Crematoriums have been identified as sources of various environmental pollutants being polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/FS) and mercury (are) those raising (the) most concern.” 

According to the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) the impacted emissions include clothing, keepsakes, implants, dental fillings, crowns, prosthetics, eyeglasses and cremation containers (including plastic body bags, cardboard, plywood, willow, highly farnish caskets and various combinations). Filtration systems are not required in North America. 

For all the above reasons, we ask again that you oppose the proposed crematorium. Thank you for your time and consideration.