The Pollution Control Department (PCD)will join City Hall in an effort to cut air pollution emissions from crematoriums at Bangkok temples.
PCD deputy director-general Sunee Piyapanpong yesterday said the level of dioxins and furans two major toxic substances emitted from crematoriums in the city's air was high.
Many temples have installed environmentally friendly crematoriums, but staff are not operating them correctly,which means many pollutants are still being emitted.
The PCD will test the air quality in Bangkok to find the exact amounts of carcinogenic dioxins and furans along with other pollutants.
However, the PCD's initial monitoring found the levels of the two substances to be above the European Union's safety standard of 0.5 microgrammes per cubic metre.
According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), there are a total of 310 crematoriums in the capital 90% of these are environmentally friendly crematoriums, known as twochambered crematoriums.
Ms Sunee said the two-chambered system is designed to eradicate dioxins and furans. The first chamber burns the body, coffin and other items, while the second chamber absorbs toxic smoke from the first chamber instead of releasing it directly into the air.
However, most temple staff failed to prepare the second chamber properly,reducing its capacity to absorb pollutants,she said.
The PCD yesterday organised technical training for BMA officials on how to properly run crematoriums to reduce dioxin and furan emissions. These officials would inspect crematoriums' operations and give advice to temple staff.
The PCD recommends that the BMA limit the amount of small dust particles and carbon monoxide emissions from crematoriums to less than 100 ug/cu m,while nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide must not exceed 500 ug/cu m and 200 ug/cu m respectively.