The Cremation Process Explained

The cremation process has been around for thousands of years, but more individuals today choose to be cremated instead of buried once they die. What most of us think of as a traditional funeral and burial is in fact no more of a traditional practice than a cremation. Cremation is very popular in other parts of the world and is becoming increasingly popular in North America.

There are three steps that the deceased person has to go through during the cremation process. The first step is the preparation of the body, the second is the actual cremation and the final step is the processing of ashes.

1) Preparation of the Body

During the first step of the cremation process the funeral director will ask for an authorization document from the immediate family of the deceased person. Both the funeral home and a representative of the family sign this document. After the document is received, the funeral director removes items that may result in explosion or items that the family wants to keep such as jewelry. It is not essential to embalm the body before the cremation process, but if the body will be available for viewing during the memorial service, it must undergo embalming. After the body has been prepared it is placed in a wood casket. An identification tag is placed on the casket and body for proper identification of the cremated ashes.

2) Cremation

For the actual cremation process, the casket with the body of the deceased person is placed in a cremation chamber, which is also called a retort. The chamber is equipped with walls and a ceiling that are resistant to fire while the floor is crafted with a masonry compound that can survive high temperatures. After placing the body inside, the door is closed either by hand or an automated switch. The operator starts the machine, fuelled with either natural gas or propane, and allows it to warm up to a temperature ranging from 1800 to 2100 degrees Fahrenheit. The cremation process normally lasts for 1 ½ to two hours.

3) Processing the Ashes

After the cremation process, the bone fragments of the burned body of the deceased are allowed to cool down for at least 30 minutes. These fragments are then removed from the chamber and are put in a table wherein debris including screws and titanium joints are eradicated by using either the hand or a magnet. Then the bone fragments are situated in a cylindrical container that grinds the fragments into fine powder. The fine powder, also known as the ashes are deposited in a plastic bag.

The funeral home will take the plastic bag with the ashes and place them inside a cremation urn and give that to the family. What many families do not realize is that they can request the ashes in the plastic bag and purchase an urn at a later date. This gives the family more time to decide what urn they would like to purchase for the deceased person.

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Direct Cremation vs Cremation

Direct cremation is the disposition of human remains by cremation, without a visitation, or memorial ceremony with a viewing or closed casket. The primary difference with a direct cremation is that the body is not present at the funeral.

In cremation, the body of the deceased is placed in a heated chamber of up to 2,100 degree Fahrenheit until only the bones remain. There are, however, two types of cremation to consider when planning a funeral. In the classic cremation, the body is embalmed and present at the visitation and funeral service. The family may chose to have the casket closed or open for viewing. Like the traditional funeral, the body will be positioned in a casket made of combustible materials appropriate for burning. After the funeral service has been held, the body—together with the casket—will be brought to the crematory for cremation. Because there are funeral services included, the classic cremation is more expensive when compared to direct cremation.

In the process of direct cremation, the deceased will be transported to the funeral home, where the remains may or may not be cleaned and sanitized. The body will not be embalmed and will not receive hair care or makeup application.  The body is then cremated, and the ashes are placed in a cremation urn. The body only stays at the funeral home until such time that a cremation permit and death certificate are given. Meanwhile, there are no funeral or visitation ceremonies included with the body present. However, a memorial service may take place before or at the end of the cremation service, with or without the remains.

Direct cremation is a popular alternative because it is less expensive than a traditional funeral and burial. When compared to a burial, cremation saves the cost of a burial plot and vault. It also reduces the other expenses associated with the burial, such as flowers, transportation, and so on. A direct cremation also has a few financial benefits over a standard cremation. A direct cremation only requires an inexpensive wood box for the cremation. With a standard cremation, the family is required to purchase a casket and pay to have the body embalmed, which can be expensive.

Direct cremation has also increased in popularity due to the environmental benefits. By not embalming the body, less harmful chemicals are released into the atmosphere. Furthermore, because a direct cremation uses less funeral products it is considered “greener” and has less of a negative impact on the environment.

If the cost of the funeral is important to you, direct cremation should be considered when planning a funeral.

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What is Cremation?

What is cremation? Cremation has been applied in many countries around the globe for thousands of years. In the US, the percentage of people who apply the process of cremation has been rising each year, with average rate of above 50%. However, in certain locations the cremation rate averages more than 80%.

People choose cremation for a variety of reasons, including to save money, to save land, and to save trees and other materials that are used in burial. Additionally, people choose cremation because it is an easier and more convenient solution and during their time of grief families want a simple solution.

So what is cremation? “Cremation is the use of high-temperature burning, vaporization, and oxidation to reduce dead animal or human bodies, to basic chemical compounds, such as gases and mineral fragments retaining the appearance of dry bone.” (source: Wikipedia) A deceased body can be cremated by reducing it to ashes and bone fragments with the use of evaporation and intense heat of approximately 1,400-2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

The body is put in a casket or other container, without medical devices or pacemakers, since they may explode due to extreme high temperature. Other materials in the body will then be destroyed in the process or removed afterwards. The casket or the container is then put into a cremation chamber to be processed through intense heat and flame. It will take about 2 to 4 hours to totally consume the organic matter, and the remains will usually weigh about 3 to 9 pounds. Bone fragments are then pulverized to reach a gravel texture until it reaches a light grey and white color. After the remains are reduced into fine particles and ashes they will be let cool for several hours. The ashes will then be placed into a cremation container and given to the family of the deceased.

Nowadays, cremation costs around $1,200 complete with permits and death certificate. There are certain companies that will do a direct cremation for under $800. If the family would like a visitation and/or funeral service, then the cost will be $3,000 to $5,000. This cost can increase significantly if the family decides to bury the urn or place in it a columbarium. To save money, many families choose to scatter the ashes in a favorite location or keep the ashes at home in the urn.

So what is cremation? Cremation is a good alternative for a traditional form of burial. Cremation allows for a more convenient and less expensive handling of the remains. The family then has a number of options with what to do with the remains so that they can pay tribute to the life of their loved one.

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Win a Cremation?

Wednesday, 19 December 2012 16:44

The Neptune Society wants to make your holiday warm and bright, but they're not thinking of chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Correspondent Robert wasn't filled with holiday cheer when he opened his mailbox to find a solicitation from the cremation company well-known for aggressive sales come-ons: 

NeptuneSocietymailing1

A free cremation? It's like winning the Showcase Showdown on the Price is Right! Except not. 

What Neptune really wants, of course, is to sell you an over-priced prepaid cremation. You can usually find it less expensively if you do a little price comparison in your area. And based on the number of complaints we've received about Neptune their cremation may not be a good value at any price. Read more here. 

P.S. to Neptune—Get better stocking stuffers. 

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 19 December 2012 17:20 )  

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Reform Jews, Cremation and Burial

Reform Jews, Cremation and Burial

Recently did a short YouTube video discussing some of the finer points of Reform Judaism, cremation and burial. In Congregation Albert’s cemetery, we have put in a new section between the drive and the historic section to provide resting places for the growing number of individuals choosing cremation. Check it out!

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