Crematorium Technician here

[CodLiverOil556]

I see lots of threads about cremations and Crematoria. I'm currently a crem tech so please ask me questions and I will endeavor to answer them.

@Esspee I'm really glad that you got closure from witness charging. It takes a strong person to witness as it can be very distressing.

@user1473460538 thank you. I just wanted to share my experience as it was very positive for me and perhaps others might feel it appropriate (and not the least scary) for them.

I think this thread has been popular as death and what happens with the deceased is so not talked about. I think there are a lot of questions just under the surface in people's minds but being able to ask anonymously and deal with the emotions privately is really valuable. Even though many of us might not see around a crematorium, it's useful to picture it, especially as it's rather hidden away from view otherwise. Thank you again.

Thanks Kermit, you have done a wonderful job on this thread. Well done.

Thanks for this thread. It's really interesting, though it has made me feel sick. I feel very uncomfortable with the idea of being cremated and always have, but I'm not sure why. Perhaps the feeling that it is unnatural for my body to be reduced to ashes. I hear it is a lot cheaper though.

I have a question to ask If I may? What happens to terminated fetuses? Are the cremated properly or treated as surgical waste? Is there any way to find this out? Would give comfort to know my baby I couldn't have was cremated with respect 🙁

Hello Kermit, you said a metal rake goes across the remaining bones at the end but how does this contain all the ashes? surely there needs to be a brush if ashes are not going to get mixed from one cremation to another? If the furness doesn't cool down from one to another, there must be some 'debris'/remains left behind and mixed with the next one..thanks in advance

Ashes are actually really bad for soil and plants

I didn't know this. I'd always assumed they were good for the soil, so I thought I'd have my ashes scattered in a beautiful garden when the time came. Do you know if there's an environmentally-friendly way of laying them to rest?

Thank you for this thread, Kermit, I've learned a lot.

@screamativemom your baby would have been cremated with dignity, respect and reverence. They would have been scattered with respect too.

@Kitty6 we rake bones not ashes. Bones are put into a cremulator and turned into ashes. There is no tissue, organs, skin left only calcified bones.

Thank you ILoveKermit for starting such a thread and being so informative.

Whilst I've always known I wanted to be cremated, I struggled with the process when my mum died and struggled to find the info I needed online.

It's interesting with regards to the burning process in respect of cardboard coffins. My mum always said 'just bury me in a cardboard box' (turn of phrase as she stated she wanted cremation) as she didn't want money wasted after her death. When looking at coffins, the cardboard boxes were the same price as the more basic, but nicer looking wooden coffins.

@Cattenberg you can still be scattered in a beautiful garden it's when ashes are left in a big heap. They tend to go like a stodgy mess but if spread evenly then they're fine.

So they wouldn't have been incinerated in the hospital then? Is there any way of finding out where they were cremated and scattered?

Kermit... what do you wear to work?

@screamativemom it all depends on when you lost your little one. Please get in contact with the hospital to find out.

@SexyManatee I wear heavy duty trousers, polo shirt and sweater.

kermit this thread has been utterly fascinating. I've been to a ha duck of funerals / services of rememberance at crems but never had any idea of what happens next. It seems an amazing process and it's obvious from your posts how much care and attention you put in.

Thinking about coffins, for burning fuel the two that I've circled would be the most economical? And the wicker and cardboard wouldn't burn as long.

Is the cremator gas heated or electric like a kiln would be?

How does the cremulator work? Is it just a fast spinning drum or is it something a bit more like a blender? What are the bones stored in whilst they cool?

And can you still tell the DNA of a person from the ashes or does that disappear with the heat?

Thank you very much for a very interesting thread.

Just wanted to ask why the cremulator part is referred to as turning the remains into ashes? Surely the fire does this? If the bones then need to be ground down then aren’t these really ground up bones rather than ashes? Thanks.

OP have you watched Six Feet Under?

Happened 7 years ago, would hospital still have records?

Sorry that thanks sounded wrong. Just curious about the terminology.

As a child I couldn’t bear the thought of cremation but interestingly now I can’t bear the thought of being buried and want to be cremated. The thought of being burried alive terrifies me. At least a cremation would be over quickly (I hope).

@MummySparkle what are they made of? I can't really see from the picture. It's hard to explain how a cremaulator works but it has a spinning chain like device inside a drum. It takes around 180 seconds to do its job.

Cremated remains stay in the ashing chute of the cremator for around 60 minutes then are released into a hopper (like a metal tin) this has a lid on and normally is placed by the cremulator ready to be processed it's here that we remove any hips/knees/big pieces before the cremulating happens.

@MummySparkle the cremator is gas fired but I know at least one crem that still has an electric one.

@MarmiteTermite ashes are indeed ground, calcified bone.

The strangest thing I have removed from a set of remains is a fully formed coat hanger.

Fantastic thread. Thank you.