Bob Foos
A water cremation system to decompose pets at Simpson Funeral Home has been disabled until its use is authorized by a special use permit and wastewater regulations are met.
Aquamation is an alternative to flame-based cremation. Also known as alkaline hydrolysis, it uses a mixture of water and potassium hydroxide heat to reduce the remains to a powder.
Neighbors opposed to Simpson Funeral Home operating its new business, Joplin Pet Cremation, in its garage at 400 W. Daugherty St. attended the June 8 meeting of the Webb City Council.
According to the meeting minutes, William Kulju, 106 N. Pennsylvania St., said he feels the funeral home had already started using the aquamation crematorium, and he is against the process being used in his neighborhood.
It was later that Police Chief Don Melton said a neighbor called his department alleging that an animal was being cremated at the funeral home.
On Wednesday, June 17, Melton and William Runkle, director of wastewater utilities were allowed to check out the water cremation system. He said it was apparent the machinery had been operating, and employees confirmed it had not been operated since they were told to stop on June 8.
A dead dog was being placed in a freezer, according to Melton.
He said he was told by employees that nose and paw prints are made, fur samples are taken and pictures are taken before the deceased animals are transported to the Springfield area to be cremated.
“Employees let us disable power to the aqua-cremator and lock it out so it could not be turned on without tampering with a lockout,” Melton said.
City Administrator Carl Francis says aquamation won’t be allowed at the funeral home until all city ordinances are met and a special use permit is approved. Among the requirements he says that will have to be met is pretreatment of wastewater.
Four years ago, Simpson Funeral Home obtained a special use permit to operate a crematory. However, neighbors objected when they later found out about it. They learned in May 2023 that the project had been abandoned.
That episode led to the city notifying neighbors by mail when applications for special use permits (not just rezoning requests) are received.
