Are coffins sold back to the funeral director for re-use? No. The coffin and the body inside are cremated together. There are occasions where the deceased or the family of the deceased has opted for using a cardboard coffin in which their loved one will be cremated.
In most cases, you will have to wait somewhere between 24 and 72 hours after death before a body can be cremated. Certain paperwork is required and may take several business days to obtain.
The most common waiting period set by most states is 24 hours. This is typically enough time for the death certificate to be issued, though the family can wait longer if they need to. Some states require 48-hours to lapse between the death and the cremation of the body.
While some families may still choose a casket as the cremation container, you absolutely do not have to. If you do not wish to purchase a casket, the crematory will offer you an alternative container.
In most cases, people are cremated in either a sheet or the clothing they are wearing upon arrival to the crematory. However, most Direct Cremation providers give you and your family the option to fully dress your loved one prior to Direct Cremation.
The only parts of the body that are removed before cremation are artificial ones like a medical device or implant with a battery, silicone, pins, radiation pressurization, pacemakers, and large hip, knee, and shoulder replacements along with any external jewelry.
The common misconception about cremation is that it is not possible to have a visitation, wake or more formal services. Visitations are not only allowed before a cremation; they are a popular and appropriate choice for many families.
Only one body can be cremated at once, and all cremated remains must be cleared from the cremation chamber before another cremation can begin. These standards do mean that you may have little input into any 'customization' of a cremation process.
Yes. In most cases the body is cremated as soon as the service has finished. The only exception to this would be if the funeral service is late in the day or if there is some problem with the crematoriums facilities.
The bones of the body do not burn in fire. Why do the bones not burn in fire? For the burning of bone, a very high temperature of 1292 degrees Fahrenheit is required. At this temperature also, the calcium phosphate from which the bones are made will not entirely turn into ash.
Since all of the organic matter is burned away during cremation, this is why ashes can last (almost) forever - or at least for our entire lifetime. Bones are still DNA and scientists believe that DNA has survived for about one million years.
In most cases, cremated remains are odourless. They may have a slightly metallic odour or some people say they smell somewhat like incense in some cases. However, it is common for ashes to have no distinct smell. Nonetheless, they can take on the smell of the container or cremation urn they are in.
The only thing remaining of the human body after cremation is part of the skeletal structure and occasionally small amounts of salts and minerals. The human skeleton is composed mostly of carbonates and calcium phosphates.
If the coffin is sealed in a very wet, heavy clay ground, the body tends to last longer because the air is not getting to the deceased. If the ground is light, dry soil, decomposition is quicker. Generally speaking, a body takes 10 or 15 years to decompose to a skeleton.
For the most part, however, if a non-embalmed body was viewed one year after burial, it would already be significantly decomposed, the soft tissues gone, and only the bones and some other body parts remaining.
Yes – however, there may be some variation between states and territories within Australia, however, in most instances relevant Health Departments require the deceased to be placed in a coffin or casket for burial or cremation. In the case of cremation, the coffin or casket must be combustible.
Ashes are heavier than some people expect
How heavy the ashes are will depend on the person who's died. Men and young adults have the most solid bones. Women, children and elderly people's bones are usually less solid. So the overall weight of the ashes will depend on the person's age, height, gender, and health.
Is the brain removed before cremation? Removing organs before cremation does not happen. Even if an autopsy has been performed, the organs are cremated.
Refrigeration is often employed when there will be no viewing, wake, or visitation, or if the casket will remain closed during the service (as many funeral homes require that the body be embalmed if it is to be on display).
During cremation, the chamber reaches up to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. The softer parts of the teeth (like the pulp) disappear. However, the tougher parts of the teeth including the enamel are likely to survive cremation. They are one of the few things left behind after the process is complete.
As a general rule, ashes following cremation will weigh between 4 to 6 pounds, or around 3.5% of the person's original weight. In the case of children, ashes weigh about 2.5% of the original body weight.
The reason you won't see black smoke billowing from a cremator's chimney? All crematoriums have to adhere to emissions regulations, so there are actually two burners: one for the coffin and one to burn off all the smoke, gas and CO2 released from the coffin, which is then dispersed at 15m.
The actual ashes are thus useless as they will not contain DNA. It is the bones and teeth that could potentially hold some DNA viable for analysis. However, after the cremation, the bones and teeth left behind are turned into a find powder (a process known as pulverization).
Does the skull burst during cremation? The skull does not burst during cremation. The skull will become fragile and crumble. This gives the illusion of bursting.