More and more families in Britain are choosing cremations as the preferred type of funeral, with over 70% opting for this method. However, since most of the cremation process takes place privately, it can be confusing and mysterious, leading to many questions. If you have questions about planning a funeral cremation service, this guide is here to help you understand and make informed decisions.
What is Cremation?
Cremation is a method that uses high heat to transform the body of a deceased person into ashes. The cremation process happens in a special cremation chamber where one deceased person is placed and exposed to very high heat for about two hours.
After the cremation process is complete, there will be small amounts of bone left. These bones are removed from the cremator, cooled down, and then put into a machine that turns them into ashes. The ashes are placed in a container. After the cremation, the family can decide if they want to receive the ashes of their loved one.
How Does Cremation Process Work?
First, the crematorium needs to know if the body is being prepared for a funeral or memorial service. When someone passes away and their body is being prepared for a service, it is embalmed, dressed, and then presented at the final service. The cremation can happen after the service. The body will be placed in a simple wooden or cardboard casket while dressed.
If there is no funeral or memorial service, the body can be cremated after a certain amount of time has passed. We take off all jewelry, watches, prosthetics, and items like pacemakers. The body is either burned in the clothes that the deceased was wearing, or in a sheet that they are wrapped in. The body is placed in a casket and then put into a machine called a retort. The retort burns the body at temperatures ranging from 1400 to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit for a period of time that can last anywhere from 90 minutes to 4 hours.
Finally, the leftovers are cooled. After incineration, there can be a range of 3 to 9 pounds of remains. After these have cooled down, any leftover metals like screws or plates are taken out. Afterwards, the remaining remains are put through a machine called a cremulator, also known as a grinder, to make sure that there are no larger pieces of bone left. After cremation, what you receive is not actually ashes, but rather the ground-up remains of bones.
After the grinding process, the remains of the deceased, also known as ashes or cremains, are put into a plastic bag. They are then placed in either a temporary container or an urn. Choosing the right urn can be challenging. It’s important to pick the right size and one that can serve as a beautiful memorial. We suggest putting the plastic bag containing the ashes into a special bag for the urn. In this way, if there is an accident and an urn breaks, the remains are kept safe.
Types of Cremation
When comparing cremation to traditional burial, cremation usually doesn’t need embalming and doesn’t require large burial plots. Cremation is usually cheaper than a traditional burial.
Direct Cremation
Direct cremation is a simple process where the remains are taken directly to a cremation center without having a funeral service before. This approach is often the cheapest type of cremation because it eliminates the need for a funeral service and purchasing a casket. Direct cremations usually do not include a chance to see the deceased, have a visitation, or hold a wake before the cremation takes place. Many families will plan a memorial service for friends and family to attend at a later date to show their respect.
Liquid Cremation
Alkaline hydrolysis is a different option to flame cremation. When water, alkali, heat, and pressure are combined, they cause a reaction that makes decomposition happen faster. This process only leaves behind bone fragments and a liquid that is free from bacteria. The flameless process produces approximately 30% more ashes compared to traditional cremation with flames. This may necessitate the use of a larger container. The amount of time it takes for this process can vary from three to sixteen hours. The time it takes depends on the person’s body mass and the equipment being used. Unlike conventional flame-based cremation, many medical devices, such as pacemakers, do not have to be removed beforehand.
Green Cremation
Alkaline hydrolysis is seen as an environmentally friendly option to traditional burial. After removing any remaining pieces of bone, the solution becomes sterile and can be reused in the wastewater treatment system. Many people who care about the environment are choosing alkaline hydrolysis instead of the usual procedure because it is better for the environment. Not only can the liquid byproduct be recycled, but there are also several important reasons why it is an environmentally friendly choice:
- Green cremation reduces over 75% of the carbon footprint produced by a body.
- The green process uses only 1/8 of the energy compared to traditional flame-based cremation.
- Green cremation is a process that doesn’t involve a flame. This means that it doesn’t produce mercury emissions and also helps to reduce the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases.
What Happens At a Cremation Service?
Mourners Arrive at Crematorium
At the crematorium, people can gather outside and wait for the hearse to arrive, or they can go inside the chapel and sit down before the coffin is brought in. The coffin can also be brought to the venue before mourners arrive. Afterward, the body is placed on a platform called a catafalque. This platform is usually raised, decorated, and positioned near the front so that everyone can see it.
Mourners are Seated Shortly Before the Service Begins
A cremation funeral service typically lasts for about 30 to 45 minutes before the actual cremation process occurs at a separate location. It is important for guests to be on time.
The Service is Held
A cremation order of service can include several hymns or musical pieces and eulogies. If the family wants a longer service, they can book extra time. This longer service may include prayers or poems.
The Committal Begins
At the end of the service, the coffin is usually hidden from sight so that mourners can say their final goodbyes before the cremation. There are different options for what can be done with the coffin. It can be moved behind curtains, placed behind glass, put behind a gate, or taken out of the building completely.
Mourners Leave the Service
During this time, guests can offer their condolences to the family of the deceased, view the flowers and wreaths given by friends and family, and proceed to the wake.
The Wake Begins
This is a choice that allows people to come together and honor the life of someone they loved. This can include food, drinks, and music. There can also be displays of photographs of the deceased to encourage everyone to share memories in a more relaxed atmosphere.
How Long is this Process?
Cremation is seen as a more efficient option than traditional burials. It can be done more quickly after someone passes away. The time it takes to cremate a body depends on factors like its size and weight, the type of container used, and the efficiency of the equipment. Flame-based cremation usually takes 2-3 hours, while liquid cremation can take up to 16 hours.
Remember that the crematory has its own rules about how much time it will take to prepare the remains for the grieving family. It is normal for it to take seven to ten days for something to be completed. The amount of time it takes depends on the specific rules and processes of the place where it is being done.
Why do People Decide on Cremation?
The increase in cremation procedures is due to factors such as:
- Reduced religious affiliation: Today, less than 40% of Americans opt for a religious funeral.
- Growing environmental awareness: Many people choose cremation because it takes up less land, saves natural resources like hardwood, and avoids the use of chemicals in embalming.
- More personalization: There are more options available for storing or scattering the remains, which allows for more meaningful choices that better represent the deceased.
- Lower cost: Cremation costs less than a burial and still allows families to have a traditional service.
- Flexible Timing: When someone passes away, burials usually need to be done quickly. However, if the family is spread out across the country or world, cremation allows them more time to come together and make final arrangements if the deceased did not plan ahead.
Does Cremation Happen Right After the Ceremony?
After the ceremony, a person may be cremated immediately, although this depends on the crematorium’s level of busyness. Cremation is not always done right away in order to be more environmentally friendly.
The cremator needs time to heat up, so it’s not very energy efficient to only do one cremation per day. Technicians typically schedule cremations in a way that they occur consecutively to avoid wasting heat. It is not common for them to wait for more than three days, and most cremations will happen sooner than that.
For personal or religious reasons, some families and friends believe it is important to have someone cremated right away. If that’s true, a funeral director can assist you in making the appropriate arrangements with the crematorium. If you request to see the coffin being charged, it will always happen immediately after the ceremony.
The Body During the Cremation Process
There are various methods of cremation that use different technologies to handle the body. In the traditional method of cremation, the body is placed in a cremation chamber where it is exposed to flames and heat. This process reduces the body to bone fragments. There are two stages of combustion: During primary combustion, tissue, organs, body fat, and certain container materials are burned and turned into gases. After that, secondary combustion takes care of the remaining inorganic particles, typically from the container. The gases, mostly carbon dioxide and water vapor, are released, while the remaining bone fragments are crushed into ashes.
During alkaline hydrolysis, the body is put in a special chamber made of stainless steel. Inside the chamber, a mixture of 95% water and 5% alkali is used. The temperature is increased to 350 degrees to make the natural process that happens to a body after burial go faster. This process can normally take up to 25 years. The alkaline substance breaks apart the chemical bonds in the body and changes them into basic chemicals. These chemicals include calcium phosphate from bone fragments, as well as a sterile liquid that contains leftover tissue components like water, salts, and amino acids. The bone is turned into ash, and the liquid is put into the wastewater system.
Conclusion
Over 70% of British families prefer cremations as their funeral method, but the process can be confusing and mysterious. Cremation involves high heat exposure to transform a deceased person’s body into ashes. The process involves embalming, dressing, and presentation at a funeral or memorial service. The body is then burned in a casket, placed in a retort machine, and cooled. The remaining remains are ground-up and placed in a plastic bag. There are two types of cremation: direct cremation, which eliminates the need for a funeral service, and liquid cremation, which produces ashes and a liquid free from bacteria.
Green cremation is an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional burial, reducing over 75% of the carbon footprint and using only 1/8 of the energy compared to traditional flame-based cremation. The process involves removing any remaining bone fragments, forming a sterile solution that can be reused in the wastewater treatment system. The process typically lasts 30 to 45 minutes, and the coffin is usually hidden from sight. The process can take up to 16 hours, depending on factors like size, weight, container type, and equipment efficiency.
Cremation is preferred due to factors such as reduced religious affiliation, growing environmental awareness, more personalization, lower cost, and flexible timing. After the ceremony, a person may be cremated immediately, depending on the crematorium’s busyness. The cremator needs time to heat up, so it’s not very energy efficient to do one cremation per day.
In summary, green cremation offers a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional burial methods, reducing carbon footprint, energy consumption, and the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases.
