BOLTON’S Overdale West Crematorium has re-opened after a £171,000 refurbishment — including a plan to recycle the heat from cremations and reduce mercury emissions from deceased people’s fillings.

The overhaul included work on the heating system, which will now use the heat generated from the cremation process to warm the building and cut gas bills.

Another £650,000 was spent on installation of a new cremator, which complies with government rules that mean the crematorium must halve its mercury emissions by the end of the year.

Mercury emissions from cremations are caused by the mercury used in fillings in people’s teeth.

Cllr Guy Harkin, the Mayor of Bolton, helped launch the refurbished crematorium after a six-and-a-half week period of work in August and September.

The crematorium has been redecorated, with a new sound system, carpets, windows, lighting, curtains and re-fitted pews, along with improved toilet and waiting facilities.

Cllr Harkin said: “We only realise when things are radically improved how tired they were before. This is an excellent facility and I would like to thank the staff for their hard work.”

The crematorium has a number of paintings on loan from Bolton Museum in the building and Cllr Harkin said they added to the ambience, making it less stark.

Since Overdale Crematorium opened about 50 years ago, it has had more than 200,000 cremations. Each year, it sees 2,500 cremations, and there can be up to 25 cremations per day, using both Overdale West and the slightly smaller Overdale East.

Councillors were given a tour of the refurbished crematorium and taken to see the newly installed environmentally friendly equipment used in the cremation process.

The decision to recycle the heat to warm the building followed a public consultation. The leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Cliff Morris, said: “It was due a refurbishment and I am pleased with what the officers have done.

“The reaction from the public has been quite favourable towards it.”