Green Party Senator Vincent P. Martin is bringing forward legislation that will seek establish a code of practice in respect the safe use and disposal of formaldehyde (with particular reference to embalming).
The Bill is scheduled for Second Stage reading in the Seanad next Thursday the 9th May.
The Green Party senator says that formaldehyde (or formalin, in its liquid form) is the main ingredient in current embalming solutions and that Regulation of formaldehyde is covered under the Safety, Health and Welfare At Work (Carcinogens) Regulations, 2001 .
He also says that Regulation 4 of those Regulations, classes formaldehyde as a carcinogen and places general duties on an employer.
The senator also refers to a survey of funeral directors carried out in 2021 by UCD Masters student Patricia Voon which found that the vast majority (more than 90%) of Ireland’s deceased are embalmed, requiring an average of 13 litres of embalming fluid per person.
He estimates that approximately 31,000 people die annually in Ireland, requiring more than 350,000 litres of embalming fluid each year, a mixture of formaldehyde, water, and other chemicals.
This embalming fluid, he says is then either buried in a cemetery or burned during cremation and therefore subsequently released back into the natural environment through soils or in the air.
“Currently there is no requirement for those in the industry to account for their supply, use, and safe disposal of the chemical. Crucially, there is no reliable information available on the amount of formaldehyde used in each embalming which becomes excess. There is a concern that some of this excess fluid might not be safely disposed of, namely, that this dangerous chemical is not rendered safe.”
Senator Martin claims that In Ireland embalming fluids are not tightly regulated from purchase through to use and disposal and as such “there needs to be greater oversight on the use and the disposal of formaldehyde in order to ensure greater protection of both human and environmental health in Ireland.”
“There is no licensing or training requirement nor skills assessments. While there are schools that provide training in embalming, this is not a pre-requisite for starting an embalming business. The Professional Embalmers Association of Ireland promotes embalming standards, continuous education, and represent embalmers’ voice at the European level. However, membership to PEAI is voluntary. Currently, there is no legal requirement in Ireland for embalmers to join this or any similar organisations.”