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Crematorium to heat water for town's swimmers
LONDON |
LONDON (Reuters) - A local authority in England has given the go ahead for a swimming pool to use energy created by the next-door crematorium to heat its water.
The plan, the first of its kind in Britain, will see waste heat from the incinerator chimney used to warm up the neighboring leisure center and its new pool.
"The cremation process is a sensitive matter and we wanted to be sure our proposals had widespread support," said Councilor Carole Gandy, the leader of Redditch Borough Council in central England.
Eighty to 90 percent of people who contacted the council had backed the scheme, she said.
"Throughout we have been careful to explain how the technology would work, that it is tried and trusted, and that the practice is quite common in parts of Europe and especially in Sweden," she said.
"We already support our residents to insulate their homes and be energy-efficient, so it seemed only right for us to explore this re-use of energy."
However, local trade union officials are less than impressed with the plan, saying it was a reflection of the massive public spending cuts being implemented by the government.
"These proposals ... are sick and an insult to local residents," said Roger McKenzie, regional secretary for Unison, Britain's biggest public sector labor union.
(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Steve Addison)
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Garon MacCardon, head of “the Coal Shovel Holder’s” union agreed, “We currently have 32 members that have been out on strike since 1947. The only proper way to heat a swimming pool is with a coal furnace.”
Tavish O’reilly, President of “The Coal Hod Carriers, but not if it’s full, because that’s someone else’s job” union stands firm with his colleagues. “Aye, 51 of my members have been on the dole for 53 years and another 18 have died because of heartless and oppressive policies like this.”
Tre’ Ugger, lead counsel for the group Bovine Ordure United, “This is another example of political lip service, we insist that the Redditch Borough Council redact it’s decision replacing this earth destroying process with composting which is a proven source of energy for heating pools.”.
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