A proposed crematorium in Sacramento, which sits within 1,000 feet of homes and an elementary school, is drawing concern from nearby residents who say they fear potential health and air quality impacts.

The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District notified nearby residents and parents of students at Babcock Elementary School about a proposed crematory project at Sant Sagar Funeral Home, located off of El Camino Avenue on Albatross Way. 

The notice is required under California law because the proposed crematory would emit toxic air contaminants and is located within 1,000 feet of a K–12 school, D.W. Babcock Elementary School. As a result, parents and guardians of students at nearby schools, as well as residents within 1,000 feet of the site, must be informed and given a 30-day public comment period before any final permit decision.

The project would install and operate a human crematory inside a business suite located in an industrial park. Regulators say the process is expected to emit toxic air contaminants identified by the California Air Resources Board, including chromium, arsenic, cadmium, nickel, and other substances associated with cremation.

According to the Sac Metro Air District, emissions are evaluated before any approval is granted, and crematory equipment must include pollution control technology such as an afterburner. The system is designed to reduce volatile organic compounds, toxic air contaminants, and particulate matter, and can achieve an estimated 98% or greater reduction in certain emissions.

In the written notice, Sac Metro Air District says it reviewed the project’s emissions and found the public health risks from toxic air contaminants to be within acceptable levels. The agency says the proposal complies with all applicable air quality regulations. 

Neighbors, concerned about the potential toxic air contaminants, contacted CBS News Sacramento for answers about the permit process. 

“They can’t be doing this,” said Russell Read, who lives within 1,000 feet of the crematorium and has lived in the neighborhood for 40 years. 

Read says he’s even more concerned for his granddaughter, who is a student at the elementary school nearby. 

CBS News Sacramento spoke with members of a nonprofit behind the funeral home and they said they have followed the guidelines set by the state and city to open the crematorium. 

The City of Sacramento approved a tenant improvement permit in December 2025, allowing the former church to be converted into a funeral home with crematory units. Officials say the property is zoned M-1, meaning the use is allowed “by right,” and no additional city approvals are required.

The Sac Metro Air District says the project remains open for public comment through April 21, 2026, and all comments within its jurisdiction will be considered before a final decision is made.

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