If cremation in Malta is to be legalized, there will not be the need for more than one crematorium in Malta, according to Director of Environmental Health Clive Tonna.
Speaking as a guest in a Social Affairs Committee discussion on cremation this evening, Tonna stated that due to the country’s number of deaths per annum, one crematorium would be enough to serve the demand for cremations.
Tonna explained that on average, there are about 3400 deaths in Malta and Gozo per year. He also stated that as it stands, some people go to Sicily in order to cremate a body, after which it is brought back to Malta.
He also replied to questions regarding cremation in the light of the need for DNA samples. Tonna said that there is need to explore the possibility of having a facility where DNA samples of the cremated body will be stored, for cases, for example, where paternity tests are needed.
Also speaking as a guest at the discussion, Theologian Fr.Rene Camilleri explained that in the Catholic religion, it is not obliged in Christian funeral services that a person who has passed away is presented in the coffin as corpse, therefore cremation is accepted by the Church.
“It is more of a cultural thing, which takes time to be accepted, but the demand is growing in Malta,” he said.
Emissions during cremation could be dangerous depending on various aspects, according to Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci, the first guest speaker at the discussion.
Such aspects include the level of temperature during the cremation, as well as aspects such as ‘whether the person, for example, had a hip replacement, therefore includes metal which would be dangerous when burnt.”
“The right research must take place to examine such factors,” she said.
Source: http://bit.ly/2Ao5soa
