A Strand funeral home proposing to construct a crematorium in an industrial area located in the community still requires three statements of environmental approval, which will determine the way forward.
DistrictMail previously reported that Blue Crane Funerals (BCF) proposes to construct a crematorium, including two diesel-fired cremators for the cremation of human and animal remains at 28 De Kock Street (“New crematorium on the cards,” Thursday 26 August 2021). BCF, in light of the article, confirmed having appointed a registered, independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the establishment of the proposed crematorium (“Residents reject crematorium,” DistrictMail, Thursday 2 September 2021).
The operation of the proposed facility is said to generate atmospheric emissions that may have significant detrimental effects on the environment and require licensing. BCF has applied for the required environmental authorisation from the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning as well as an atmospheric emission licence.
As part of the EIA process, a scoping report was compiled which set out the plan of study for impact assessment, and released for comment during an engagement process undertaken by SRK Consulting.
Following the 30-day engagement period, around 119 comments and registrations were received, and among key concerns listed were: air quality and associated health and nuisance impacts; compliance with applicable legislation particularly pertaining to regulations relating to the management of human remains, which specify that a minimum distance of 500 m must be kept between a crematorium and residential dwellings; safety risks such as fires or explosions as result of diesel operations; decline in property values; assumptions that formed the findings of the IA; dust and biodiversity (wetlands situated near Boundary Road and Palmiet Street) impact; and waste management.
The final scoping report, which was submitted on 20 September, was accepted by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning on 4 November. The draft EIA was submitted to the department on 18 January and open to comment by 21 February. Following the 30-day engagement period, SKR compiled the final EIA report updated with the responses received.
On enquiry earlier this week, SKR’s Senior Environmental Consultant Lauren Elston said the final EIA report and Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) were submitted to the provincial department for decision making on Thursday 10 March.
“The department has up to 107 days to issue a decision, which is yet to be made,” said Elston.
The department’s head of communication, Rudolf van Jaarsveld, confirmed the aforementioned: “On having reached a decision the department will issue the decision, and the applicant is required in terms of the EIA Regulations 2014 (as amended) to inform all registered interested and affected parties within 14 days, so an appeal may be lodged against the decision in terms of the National Appeal Regulations.”
Apart from environmental authorisation (EA) and the atmospheric emissions licence (AEL) applied for from the department to be able to operate the proposed crematorium, BCF also applied for exemption from regulations relating to the management of human remains to permit the location of the proposed facility closer than 500 m to a habitable dwelling (based on the risk-based impact assessment conducted), said Elston. The application was submitted to the City of Cape Town’s department of health on 31 January and BCF is still awaiting a decision.
Should the crematorium be established at the desired location it will be situated less than 200 m in the same street as a RDP development; about 300 m away from a primary school; and under 500 m from residents in George, Hammond, Van Rheede and Nolte Street.
Affected residents previously questioned the City’s obligation to prevent pollution, while also promoting reasonable and justifiable economic development.
According to Alderman Eddie Andrews, the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayco member for spatial planning and environment, the subject property is zoned General Industry Zone 1, which permits a crematorium as a primary right in terms of the City Development Management Scheme (DMS).
“The DMS does not discriminate between a crematorium for human or animal cremation purposes,” he said. “No application is required for the proposed use in terms of the City’s Municipal Planning By-law (2015), should it not trigger any other development parameter. We did not receive any applications for departures at this point, so I presume the structure will be designed to comply to the parameters of the applicable zoning in terms of building lines and coverage.”
According to a stakeholder nearly 200 responses were received from the affected community members, whose hands are tied while awaiting authorities’ decision.
“The crematorium should not be developed at the desired location. There are constitutional rights that are being violated and not enough people who realise what impacts it would have on the community,” said the stakeholder.
“While the area is correctly zoned, there are other factors including the 24/7 air pollution to be considered. Our argument: it is just too close (for comfort).”
