Elgin may get its first crematorium
With cremation seeing increasing popularity, one of the most popular funeral businesses in Elgin is poised to bring the first crematorium to the city in a proposal that has some neighbors worried emissions could pose health hazards.
The owners of the Laird Funeral Home, at 310 S. State St., want to build a crematorium addition onto the back of the existing facility. The 1,483-square-foot addition would include a chapel, storage and prep area and would have beige brick masonry to match the existing funeral home.
The funeral business opened at the location more than 40 years ago. The city's zoning permits funeral homes to operate crematoriums, but this specific facility needs an additional OK from the city council because it comes closer to neighboring property lines than city code allows.
Funeral home representatives estimated three to four cremations per week. Each cremation takes up to three hours.
Steve Laird, president of the funeral business, estimated his family handles up to 80% of the people in Elgin when they die. A growing number of people choose cremations, which cost less than traditional burials.
The most recent report from the Wheeling-based Cremation Association of North America shows nearly 55% of Americans chose cremation in 2019. That's up 24 percentage points since 2004.
"Cremations are becoming more accepted by people and more used by people," Laird told the city's planning and development commission this week. "We need to modernize our facility to take care of everybody."
Right now, Laird contracts with a third-party cremation service. That means giving possession of the deceased person to an entity Laird doesn't control and that the grieving family did not come to for services. Laird wants to keep the entire operation in-house, which he said would also be less costly for all involved.
But while neighbors are long familiar with the Laird family and funeral home, two residents expressed concerns about any possible chemicals, such as mercury, emitting from the proposed crematorium.
"There is a playground and a park across the street, family homes in proximity and a school less than half a mile away," Darlene Catelvecchi said. "Technology doesn't always do its job. You can have all these bells and whistles, and they still may emit something. Why would we want this in our neighborhood?"
Jennifer Copas, part of the sales team for the equipment Laird would buy, estimated that less than 1% of the total pounds per year in crematorium emissions will have mercury. That's less, she said, than most commercial and home boilers and even some home fireplaces.
"Mercury is, very simply, a moot point," Copas said.
The facility must be licensed by the state comptroller's office and get an operating permit from the Illinois EPA. The Elgin South West Area Neighbors group has told the city it does not oppose the crematorium.
The planning and development commission passed along a 6-0 recommendation to move the project forward to the city council. The council must take a final vote before the crematorium can proceed.