Misinformation about the cremation process is why people are opposing a plans for a cremator to be installed at Twentymans Funeral Service.

This is the belief of owner Adrian Catran who says ever since this issue reared its head earlier in March his staff, his business and himself have been the targets of abuse from the local community.

Twentymans Funeral Service in Grahamstown. Photo: Google Maps

Adrian is yet to submit an official application to install the cremator, stating he's still gathering information and was currently in a 'fact-finding” process.

He is currently looking at three different brands of cremators which are originally manufactured in America – one of which is about to be installed at an Auckland funeral home later this month.

The manufacturer's representative, who is overseeing this installation, would then be travelling to Thames early May to do a site assessment to see if it the cremator was suitable.

'To be honest, if Karl and the other businesses had of bit their tongue and said nothing it may not have happened,' says Adrian. 'All it's done is created a whole lot of negative attitude, particularly around the Grahamstown community and to a smaller extent a wider community, about something that may or may not happen.

'That's the part I find exasperating. Karl refused to listen to my explanation and has just charged on ahead.”

Adrian is aware of Wednesday's peaceful protest which will see a petition of about 1,900 signatures delivered to the Thames-Coromandel District Council offices in Mackay St.

He believes a lot of anger has been stirred up within the community which has been based on misinformation and 'old-school notions” of the modern cremation process.

Adrian thinks those who have signed the petition have done so after being led to believe the cremator would come with a 'big chimney blowing out big smoke and human remains”.

'Of everyone, I'd be the person who lives the closest to the cremator,” says Adrian. 'In no-way do I want a cremator that puts out black smoke, odour or any other thing of the sort.

'Many modern funeral homes have cremators on their properties within metres of their main street, and in some cases like in Masterton, Levin, Ashburton, they are on the main street.”

The three cremators Adrian is investigating are all manufactured in America and EU compliant.

One cremator he's looking into has a 'trilogy system”, meaning it's fully automated, has sensors within the machine, and is controlled remotely by the manufacture 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

While it is running the cremator also produces a minute-by-minute printout of the operation.

'Anybody who has a complaint, claims to have smelled something or see something, can have a look at the graph and it will show you if there's any untowards or unexplained happenings within the cremator."

He further explains that if anything occurs with the cremator, such as not enough oxygen, a larger or smaller body, or a different kind of casket, the cremator is adjusted from America in realtime.

Because of this, the possibility of smoke, odour or particulate being discharged into the surrounding environment was very unlikely.

'A little bit of heat haze comes out of them and that's depending on the outside temperature, if it's a little bit colder yuou may get a heat haze, on hot day you'll get nothing.”

Adrian says he wants to install a cremator to simply lower the costs of cremations for local families as they are currently outsourced to Hamilton City and Tauranga City councils.

Having to outsource cremations involves transportation costs plus time to drive bodies out of town.

He adds that more local families were also wanting to cremate their loved ones due to soaring costs to secure burial plots, which can be up around the $2,000 mark.

'For cremations it can cost families up to $900 + GST currently, but if we had a cremator onsite that could be reduced to about $600 + GST.

'All we're trying to do is reduce costs for families, this is not to line my own pockets as some people have suggested and the amount of money I've spent on this, at my age I'll never get a cent back.”

Adrian refutes claims he has refused to meet with those in opposition and turns the tables stating he has not been approached to discuss the issue.

'I live on the site and here 24 hours, seven days a week. How hard is it to cross the road and talk to me? That offer is still open, anyone can come talk to me.”

To read Junction Hotel and Grahamstown Dar & Diner owner Karl Edmond's side of the story click here.

To read TCDC Thames Area Manager Greg Hampton's view of the issue click here.