Common Cremation Queries

Cremation has been on a rise in popularity over the course of the past few decades, partially due to its inexpensive nature and its advertisement as eco-friendly in comparison to embalming and a traditional burial. In a statistic from the National Funeral Directors Organization, cremation has now surpassed burial to become the most popular option after death. It is also something that requires less land, which makes it more viable in overpopulated areas compared to purchasing a burial plot, since ashes can be scattered in many different places.

Cremation requires a container, which can be anything from a cardboard container to caskets made of pine designed specifically for cremation. Rent-able caskets are available for those who wish to have a traditional funeral viewing without spending money on an expensive casket to be burned later. In most cases, re-using a casket or coffin is illegal, but rent-able caskets avoid issues with the law by utilizing an inner cardboard container to slide the body in and out of the viewing casket. The body will be cremated alongside the cardboard, while the casket becomes available for another viewing.

Before a body is cremated, it is crucial to remove items that are not meant to be burned, such as pacemakers or silicone implants that could cause issues for the machinery. Pacemakers have been known to explode upon cremation, which can damage both the retort and crematory workers. On the other hand, silicone implants burst and cause a sticky mess for workers to clean up. If you or a loved one are planning to be cremated, it is important to make sure the workers know if anything needs to be removed.

The machines that cremate bodies are known as retorts. They heat up and melt the skin, fat, muscles, and other bits of the body over the span of one or two hours, leaving behind ashes and bits of dry crumbling bones. Once cooled, the leftover bone chunks are then put into a machine called a cremulator, which is used to grind any remaining fragments into a fine ash to be put in a container and given to the loved ones. These ashes can then be spread by family or friends, or kept in an urn. This video from LaPalomaCFS demonstrates the process the remains go through from retort to cremulator.

Although cremation is better for the environment than embalming, it is still not a particularly green method for taking care of bodies. Energy used for the process and carbon dioxide emissions are the highest concern when it comes to cremation. National Geographic cites Matthews Environmental Solutions as estimating "that cremations in the U.S. account for about 360,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions each year." In comparison, alkaline hydrolysis produces a similar result to ashes while having approximately a tenth of the impact that traditional cremation has, according to Nora Menkins of the People's Memorial Association.

When compared to embalming practices as well as burying chemicals and concrete in the ground, cremation is a much more environmentally friendly option, and is legal in places that alkaline hydrolysis is not. It is also a solution to the lack of land for burial plots and is a more cost-effective option for many families.

Until death do us part,

Alyssa

---

Sources & Further Readings

Ask A Mortician: What Happens to a Body During Cremation?

National Geographic: The Environmental Toll of Cremating the Dead