Frisco residents have voiced their frustration over the construction of a new crematory near homes, with concerns about potential exposure to toxic emissions. Locals fear the impact of "dangerous chemicals, carcinogens, neurotoxins, fumes, black smoke from cremated human remains, and other toxic pollutants." A petition against the crematory's construction has garnered more than 750 signatures, signaling a growing unease within the community, as reported by The Dallas Morning News.
Despite the opposition, Frisco City officials insist that the crematorium's approval predates the nearby neighborhood development, with plans available publicly since its approval. Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney explained that the site plan was approved before the development of the adjacent neighborhood. Andrew Bird, HOA president of the nearby Frisco Springs, expressed that residents are only now learning of the crematory and are concerned about mercury emissions from cremated dental amalgams. "What is not being shared is that 80% of people who are cremated have mercury in their mouth, and that mercury is incinerated and goes up into the air," Bird said, as per The Dallas Morning News.
Legally, according to Frisco City Attorney Richard Abernathy, the city cannot interfere with the project due to state laws. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which oversees emissions, has deemed the crematorium's emissions non-hazardous. TCEQ media relations specialist Victoria Cann clarified, “Crematories are minor sources of air emissions that require an air permit authorization," according to The Dallas Morning News.
Terry Turrentine Irby, partner with Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, which owns the crematory, was reassured that their facilities are state-of-the-art and meet all environmental standards. "We are also active stewards in our state and national funeral service associations, upholding the highest ethical, professional, and environmental standards,” Irby stated. Nevertheless, concerns remain, and local homeowner Brian Lawson voiced his regret for buying a home so close to the crematory, stating that he would not have made the purchase had he known about the crematory in advance. “Had I been given the choice and the knowledge and told there would be a crematorium not 50 yards from your house, would I have made a different decision? The truth is, I would have, I would have decided not to purchase in there,” Lawson said, per The Dallas Morning News.
Meanwhile, the community’s frustration had manifested in dozens of residents attending a city council meeting to request a reconsideration of the crematorium's placement. Despite these efforts, the city council has not taken action on the matter. The National Library of Medicine acknowledges that crematoriums can be sources of mercury emissions and could have subtle chronic health effects due to long-term low-dose exposure. The controversy continues to simmer as residents and city officials grapple with the implications of the crematory's presence, as noted by NBC DFW.
