Smoke, smell, reminder of death: Why so many N.L. towns quash crematoria

Funeral homes in Newfoundland and Labrador say many of their customers want cremation instead of a traditional burial, but communities are less welcoming.

In October, the town of Deer Lake approved an application for a crematorium to open on Main Street — near restaurants, businesses and apartments.

That approval was met with public outcry, and the plan was put on hold while an appeal board reviews the case.

Earlier this year, an application was put forward in Corner Brook by Country Haven Funeral Home, to expand its business and open a crematorium near a residential neighbourhood.

Owner Dwayne Parsons said about 150 families a year ask for cremation. 

But council at the time denied the application saying it didn't know enough about the environmental impact.

Last year, people in Bishop's Falls tried, but failed, to stop a crematorium from opening there.

Smoke and smell 

Even in Stephenville, where Russell's Funeral Home and Crematorium has operated for 20 years, people aren't used to it.

You knows it's not somebody out burning garbage.- Diane Chubbs

Diane Chubbs lives behind the facility.

Her frustrations hit a boiling point in August when she posted a video online showing black smoke coming from the crematorium, something she said happens daily.

"You knows it's not somebody out burning garbage," Chubbs told CBC News.

"You know it's a body. You don't have to see the smoke, as soon as you smell it you know — oh, the crematorium is on."

David Mooney, co-owner of the Stephenville facility, said his company will do more than 300 cremations this year.

"We're looking at probably between 75 and 80 per cent of all the people on the west coast now — are being cremated," he said. 

Mooney said it's not the smoke or the smell. It's what people imagine when they see that it's coming from a crematorium.

"I would just associate the smell with something burning like wood or like cardboard or some kind of combustible material. When they associate it with seeing the crematorium, well people associate it with the human remains," Mooney said. 

Mooney says the unique smell and black smoke is caused by the casket-like container that a body is in.

Reminder of death

The public outcry is not surprising to Ivan Emke, a professor at Memorial University's Grenfell Campus, who has studied the history of funeral services. 

Emke said people don't want to be reminded of death. He said they aren't keen on having cemeteries in their neighbourhoods either.

"I fully understand why people are worried about it because it is a sense of squeamish and discomfort. And then that's latched on to lack of understanding of the actual technology itself and the dangers of emissions that they might be worried about."

Mooney said the emissions from a crematorium are similar to those of a car driving down the street. 

Municipal Affairs Minister Eddie Joyce said crematoriums that have been approved are well within the standards and regulations for emissions. 

He said it's up to each town to decide whether to approve a crematorium — assuming they meet emissions standards.

Despite the assurances, it remains a hard sell.