Incinerating loved ones' remains near a Porter Creek highway access would lead to mercury air pollution in the city.

At their meeting Monday evening, members of council heard from Porter Creek resident Carole Bookless. She said she opposes a proposed crematorium operation in her neighbourhood.

Bookless said she is concerned the crematorium operation would affect air quality in the city by releasing chemicals such as sulphur dioxide and mercury into the environment.

'Measures of emissions have been found to exceed the rate the municipality would have to follow when they burn waste,' Bookless said.

'Unfortunately, there are currently no regulations with regards to crematoriums in the Yukon.'

She said several provinces have taken action on crematoriums, with Ontario having them regulated by the provincial government. She also said British Columbia's chief medical officer of health has publicly expressed concern.

The crematorium in Porter Creek is being proposed next to Willow Printers by Heritage North Funeral Home owner Chris Thomson.

Thomson approached council earlier this month asking for an amendment to the zoning bylaw to allow for a crematorium as part of his new funeral home.

Perry Kendall is British Columbia's provincial health officer.

In an interview this morning, Kendall said he doesn't believe crematoriums present a health risk as long as they're operated properly.

'I was looking into emissions coming out of crematoriums. It doesn't look like (they're a problem).'

Kendall said mercury is released into the environment with the burning of people's mercury dental fillings but that the number of people with mercury fillings is declining.

'By the time people come to be cremated, most of the fillings have been replaced by non-mercury fillings. Mercury fillings don't last that long,' he said.

Kendall said crematoriums could be located in residential areas provided they were operated at very hot temperatures to avoid releasing small particles into the air which could become trapped in people's lungs.

According to a 2002 report Global Mercury Assessment from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), mercury does enter the environment during the burning of human corpses.

'Mercury emissions from dental amalgams (fillings) during cremation may only be reduced by removing the amalgams before cremation, which is not a common practice, or by filtering the gaseous emissions when the practice takes place in a crematorium.

'Since a flue gas cleaner is an expensive control technique for a crematorium, prevention by substituting other materials for mercury amalgams during normal dental care might be a preferred approach,' the report states.

Earlier this year, a review by the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board was cancelled after it was found not to meet the minimum requirements.

John Steele, a spokesperson from Ontario's Department of Environment, said any person or business applying to operate a crematorium in his province must obtain approval from government authorities.

'In Ontario, we have regulation 419 for air quality. Governments, businesses and residences have to meet those standards,' he said.

'You have to show that you are going to meet those standards; mercury is in there.

'When you apply for a permit, you have to have a specialist come in who shows air dispersion patterns,' he said.

Coun. Dave Stockdale said while he was originally against the idea of a crematorium at the Porter Creek location, he has since changed his mind.

'Initially when I heard about this proposal, I rejected it,' he said.

'Then I went and looked at the site. It's quite a big site and it's quite a long way from the first home.'

Stockdale suggested that Thomson may be encouraged to plant some trees to make the facility less visible.

Mayor Bev Buckway said as the project moves forward through council's bylaw process, the public will have a right to provide their views.

'I would just make the comment that if we do elect to bring this forward, the public hearing on this will be on June 25.'

Last weekend, Porter Creek resident D'arcy Lacoste erected a mock smoke stack at the location to show his disapproval of the proposed project.