WOW - The Crematorium has been Operating without a Permit

Did you see this news story yesterday: https://www.koat.com/article/albuquerque-crematorium-permit-smoke/38741710 KOAT 13 is out with a report showing more plumes of choking smoke from the cremation facility at Fairview Cemetery and detailing some shocking developments: the crematorium has been operating without their required permit. In September, the multinational conglomerate that runs the crematorium, Park Lawn Corporation, canceled their permit, citing the reason as discontinuation of cremations.

As confirmed by the City and Park Lawn Corporation, they actually have been operating. As shown in the new video they are still having problems operating cleanly. A cremation retort should be emitting clear vapor—mostly water and carbon dioxide. In properly functioning retorts a second burner takes care of particulates and volatile gases to prevent smoke and noxious pollution. There are some instances when that could still occur, but proper scheduling and operation to burn bodies prone to problematic emissions first thing in the morning prevents it.

They include an interview with Colby Hitchcock, the Director of Operations for Park Lawn Corporation in New Mexico. You all tell me what you see watching this video of Colby Hitchcock? I don’t see a representative with any concern for the people surrounding Fairview. I don’t see a manager who has been working with officials to ensure safe operations. I don’t see a guy talking about how they responded to earlier concerns by, say, improving equipment. I didn’t hear anything about changes in policy to mitigate smoke output. I didn’t hear about other measures they’ve taken to deal with capacity issues. Have they maxed out their more modern cremation facilities by running three shifts (they have several in-state)? Have they offered to pay other companies to take overflow? Are they turning away business if needed or discounting burial to steer people in that direction?

Maybe they have leaned maxed out other options-but they sure didn't fix Fairview while it was not operating. When it comes to modernizing the decades-old equipment, understand that Park Lawn Corporation has been doing just fine during the pandemic. Headquartered in Canada, Park Lawn Corporation’s stock price (PLC.TO) was $16.50 when the pandemic began in March of 2020 and is nearly $40 today. The company valuation is over $1 billion – and they can’t fix our little old cremator or invest in a site outside of residential areas?

Factually, here is what the KLRQE story lays out:

• Park Lawn Corporation (PLC) canceled their permit in September because they would no longer be using Fairview;
• Without a permit, the facility should not be operating;
• PLC started burning again--and polluting again--anyway;
• PLC did not pay to reinstate their permit;
• PLC did not notify the City permitting office or environment department about resuming burning;
• When complaints came in, the CABQ Environmental Health Department had to investigate;
• That showed that they were burning without a permit and that “there is far too much dark smoke for what's allowed"; and
• As far as we know, Fairview has not committed to come in compliance before operating again.

Frankly, I had been hoping that PLC—after facing another round of complaints, investigations, and news stories nine months ago—quietly decided to clean up their act.  Boy, was I wrong.

They continue to ignore the impact of their aged machinery and now are shamelessly ignoring federal and local environmental laws, processes, and oversight. I understand that the pandemic has put a strain on the industry, but good-faith actors don’t cheap out on the permit costs in the middle of an ongoing pandemic. They don’t hide their activities from local officials. They don’t go on TV and basically say they had no other choice.

Please share our petition with others. What we do not need right now is more respiratory risk in our community, especially at a time when more children and adults are at home more of the time, breathing the air from Fairview.