Residents complain of smoke and smell from Reykjavik crematorium

Residents near the crematorium in Fossvogur, Reykjavik, say smoke and a strong smell from cremations have become a recurring problem, mbl.is reports. Thelma Ámundadóttir, who lives nearby, said her apartment filled with smoke at around 6 p.m. on Friday.

“We residents complain regularly. It is rather unpleasant, and the smell is terrible,” Thelma told mbl.is.

She said the crematorium’s furnaces were nearly 80 years old and had no pollution control equipment or system to filter the smoke.

“The wind direction was not in my favour this time, and my apartment filled with smoke,” she said.

Move to Gufunes planned

Thelma said the location of the crematorium was not the problem, but rather its equipment.

“This is simply part of life, but the equipment should work. It is the equipment that is getting on residents’ nerves,” she said.

The operation is planned to move to Gufunes cemetery, where pollution control equipment will be available. However, it remains uncertain when the move will take place.

In a recent response to a complaint from residents, the Reykjavík Environmental Health Authority said the crematorium was expected to begin operating at the new location “at the end of this year or next year”. The response also stated that the crematorium would have to continue operating in Fossvogur until then, where pollution control equipment could not be installed.

Stricter operating conditions

In August last year, the Reykjavík Environmental Health Authority used its powers to review the operating licence for the Reykjavík Cemeteries crematorium in Fossvogur. The licence was valid for one year, until August 19 this year, and introduced stricter conditions aimed at reducing pollution from the operation.

Among the conditions was that smoke could not be visible from the chimney during cremations. Cremations were also permitted only between 5.30 p.m. and 6.30 a.m.