Are you interested in learning how cremation works? Get an overview, and what to expect for your loved one, in this cremation process guide.
By 2040, nearly 80% of people will choose cremation over burial arrangements. Why is cremation beating out traditional burials? For starters, the perceived environmental impact and transient population.
Despite its growing popularity, not many people understand how cremation works. TV shows depict tiny sandy particles, though that’s not entirely realistic.
What does cremation entail and what happens during the cremation process? In this guide, we’ll review everything you need to know about how cremation works before deciding if this is the ideal option for your loved one.
Keep reading to discover the truth about cremation.
The Cremation Process
In a single year, 19,391 people chose cremation over traditional burials. As you learn more about cremation, it’s important to note that regulations can differ between states. Here are the steps involved in the general cremation process.
Step One: Identification
Before the actual cremation can begin, the facility will need to complete a few routine steps. First, they’ll need to identify the deceased.
The facility you choose might have different procedures based on industry recommendations. However, identification usually involves calling a family member to have them confirm the deceased’s identity. Once the body is identified, a metal ID tag is placed on the body.
That ID tag will remain there throughout the cremation process. It’s often put with the remains for final verification.
Step Two: Authorization
Before they can move forward with the cremation, the crematory will require official permission. Most states require the person who is making all final arrangements to complete paperwork. The paperwork will authorization the crematory to proceed with the cremation process.
However, each state has its own rules regarding who is legally allowed to make the final decision.
The paperwork will ask for information about the type of container the crematory should use. These documents will also note who is responsible for picking up the cremated remains once the process is complete.
Step Three: Preparing the Body
The individual facility will handle preparing the body in its own way. However, this process usually involves first cleaning and dressing the body.
During a typical relation, the body isn’t embalmed unless it’s requested by the beneficiaries. This usually occurs when there’s a public viewing or another personal reason for embalming the remains.
As the body undergoes preparations, someone will remove all jewelry and personal items for loved ones to keep. You can request to have specific items, such as a necklace, to remain with the body. However, it’s necessary to have all medical devices and prosthetics that are mechanical or battery-operated removed before the cremation.
Once preparation steps are complete, the body is placed in a combustible vessel that can withstand the body’s weight.
Step Four: The Cremation Chamber
You can’t discover how cremation works without learning more about the cremation chamber. This chamber is a specifically designed furnace that can reach extreme temperatures. When the body is exposed to these temperatures, only ashes or tiny bone fragments will remain.
The entire process is much more efficient than a traditional burial. Cremation can take between two to three hours for flame-based processes. For liquid cremation, it can take up to 16 hours.
The duration of the cremation process depends on the:
- Size of the body
- Weight of the body
- Type of container holding the body
- The efficiency of the equipment installed
Each facility has its own policies regarding how long it can take before remains are ready for the bereaved. The usual turnaround time ranges between seven to 10 days. This can depend on the facility’s schedule as well as its procedures.
After the body is reduced to ashes, there’s a cooling period before someone handles the cremated remains.
Cremation disintegrates the body’s organic elements. Once nothings left by dried minerals and calcium phosphates (ashes), the process is complete.
Step Five: Finalizing
After the cremation process, the remains are inspecting for any lingering metal remnants. These metal fragments are sometimes the result of screws, pins, or joints that were surgically placed in the deceased during their life.
Any metal that’s removed by hand or magnets is then sent for recycling.
Then, the cremated remains are ground down using a special processor. The final result is the ashes people associate with cremation. The remains are then placed in a container such as an urn before they’re sent to the family.
Types of Cremation
Cremations cost about a third of what funeral burials cost. However, you should keep the type of cremation you choose in mind.
The two main types of cremation to consider include direct cremation versus liquid cremation.
Direct cremation involves transferring the remains to a cremation center without a funeral service first. This approach eliminates the need to purchase a casket or organize a service. As a result, it’s often considered the cheapest type of cremation.
Direct cremations don’t allow for visitation, viewings, or wakes beforehand. Instead, families schedule a memorial service for a later date.
Direct cremation:
- Uses heat to reduce the body to bone fragments
- Uses flames to potentially create a mercury byproduct
- Requires someone to remove metal
- Results in a smaller amount of ashes
- Is legal throughout the country
Liquid cremation, on the other hand:
- Uses water and alkali to speed up the decomposition process
- Is flameless and produces little energy
- Results in a sterile solution that is often recycled through a wastewater treatment system
- Results in a larger amount of ashes
- Allows facilities to leave medical devices in the body
- Is not accepted in all US states yet
You might also consider green cremation, which uses alkaline hydrolysis to create a sterile solution. Make sure to speak with your crematory to determine the options they have available for your loved one. You can visit www.greenmeadowmemorials.com to learn more.
How Cremation Works: Everything You Need to Know for Your Loved One
Now that you know how cremation works, you might want to consider this option for your loved one. Cremation will allow you to hold a piece of the deceased close to your heart forever.
Want to learn more about how the world works? Check out the Science & Technology section today!
