What Is Cremation?

Cremation is a method of final disposition where the body is heated in a crematorium, reducing it to bone fragments. This process is performed in a specially designed cremation chamber. During cremation, the heat helps to break down the body quickly and efficiently.

Once the cremation process is complete, which typically takes about two to three hours, the remaining bone fragments are allowed to cool. These are then processed into a fine, powdery substance commonly referred to as ashes, though scientifically they are primarily bone minerals.

The resulting ashes are placed in a container or urn and returned to the family or loved ones. Cremation is chosen for various reasons, including cultural preferences, environmental considerations, economic factors, or a desire for a more simple and flexible funeral arrangement. It allows families the freedom to decide how and where to honor the memory of the deceased, be it through scattering the ashes in a meaningful location, placing them in a columbarium, or keeping them at home. This method offers a way to memorialize loved ones in a personal and respectful manner while often being more cost-effective than traditional burial methods.

Cremation offers several benefits that make it an appealing choice for many individuals and families:

1. Flexibility: Cremation provides flexibility in planning and personalizing memorial services. There is no immediate need for a burial, allowing families to schedule services at a time and place that best suits their needs. This can include holding a traditional service with the ashes present or a more unique celebration of life at a later date.
2. Cost-Effectiveness: Generally, cremation is less expensive than traditional burial because it avoids the costs associated with caskets, burial plots, and headstones. For families concerned with budget, cremation can be a more economical option.
3. Environmental Considerations: For those concerned with their ecological footprint, cremation may seem more sustainable than traditional burial methods, which often involve embalming chemicals, and the use of non-biodegradable materials. However, it’s important to note that cremation does have an environmental impact due to energy consumption and emissions.
4. Portability of Remains: Cremation allows for the ashes to be kept, divided among family, or scattered in various locations that may have been significant to the deceased. This can provide a personal touch and a way to keep the memory of a loved one close in various meaningful ways.
5. Simpler Logistics: The process of cremation is relatively quick and simple, which can reduce the logistical and emotional burden on grieving families. It eliminates the need for immediate, costly decisions about burial plots and grave markers.
6. Cultural and Religious Practices: For some religions and cultures, cremation is preferred or even required, aligning with spiritual beliefs and practices.

Choosing cremation is a personal decision influenced by many factors including personal values, financial considerations, and family traditions. It provides a way to honor a loved one in a manner that can be tailored to their wishes and the needs of those they leave behind.

Cremation offers a range of benefits that make it a preferred choice for many, blending practical considerations with personal and emotional factors:

1. Cost-Effectiveness: Cremation generally costs significantly less than traditional burial. This cost difference is due to the absence of requirements for a burial plot, casket, and headstone, which can be among the most expensive aspects of funeral services. Additionally, cremation can reduce the need for various funeral home services, such as embalming and extensive visitation hours.
2. Flexibility in Memorial Services: One of the key advantages of cremation is the flexibility it offers in planning and timing memorial services. Without the immediate constraints of burial, families have the opportunity to schedule memorials at a time that accommodates all who wish to participate, potentially waiting weeks or even months if necessary. This can be particularly beneficial for relatives who need to travel long distances.
3. Environmental Considerations: Cremation is seen by some as a greener alternative to traditional burial. Traditional burials often involve embalming fluids, which contain chemicals like formaldehyde, and the use of metal or hardwood caskets and concrete vaults that do not decompose. Cremation eliminates the need for these materials and can also result in a smaller ecological footprint, although it does require energy and produces emissions.
4. Simplifies the Process: The process of cremation is straightforward and quick, taking only a few hours to complete, which can alleviate some logistical pressures from the grieving family. This simplicity can make the overall process of handling a loved one’s final arrangements less burdensome.
5. Portability of Remains: Cremated remains can be easily transported and can be kept in multiple forms and places, according to family wishes. This allows for diverse memorialization options, such as placing ashes in multiple urns distributed among family, incorporating ashes into jewelry, or scattering them in a place meaningful to the deceased.
6. Space Saving: Cremation can help alleviate the issue of cemetery overcrowding. It also allows for alternative remembrance options like placement in a columbarium, which requires much less space than a burial plot.
7. Long-term Flexibility: Cremation provides families with ongoing options for memorialization. Ashes can be kept in an urn at home, interred in a family plot, scattered in a favorite location, or even turned into commemorative objects. This flexibility can be comforting to families, as it allows them to feel close to their loved ones and honor their memory in a personal and evolving way.

These benefits highlight why cremation can be a thoughtful, economical, and environmentally considerate choice, aligning with the needs and values of many modern families.

Cremation, while often considered a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional burial, does have several environmental impacts:

1. Energy Consumption: Cremation requires a significant amount of energy. The process involves heating a cremation chamber to high temperatures (between 1400 to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit) for two to three hours, which typically uses natural gas or electricity. This energy use contributes to the overall environmental footprint of cremation.
2. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The high temperatures needed for cremation lead to the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, if the deceased had been treated with chemicals, such as in chemotherapy or with certain medications, these can also be emitted during cremation.
3. Airborne Pollutants: Along with CO2, the cremation process can emit other pollutants, including mercury, particularly from dental amalgam fillings. These emissions can contribute to air pollution and have potential health impacts on the environment.
4. Resource Use: Although less resource-intensive than traditional burials, which involve embalming fluids, metal caskets, and concrete vaults, cremation does involve the use of resources like the construction materials for the chamber and the urns in which ashes are stored.

Despite these impacts, many choose cremation due to its reduced land use compared to traditional burials and the absence of embalming chemicals.

Endswell works with a crematorium that uses the newest technology to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. We also purchase carbon credits to further reduce the environmental impact.

People are familiar with cremation and it is a popular choice for many families. For those looking for the most environmentally-friendly option, our aquamation service may be a better choice. This method significantly reduces energy use and nearly eliminates emissions, presenting a greener alternative to conventional cremation methods.

Endswell offers one simple cremation service for $3,000 that includes local transportation, cremation, death certificates, concierge funeral care, and the return of remains in an eco-friendly urn. There are no other hidden fees or costs. Contact Us for more information or call Endswell at 919.907.9777.