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.

[Topseyt]

Thanks for the thread. It is very informative.

All of our family funerals over the last two or three decades have been cremations, and DH and I have stated in our own wills that we are to be cremated when the time comes.

However, it is generally a mystery as to how it all works behind the scenes, so a thread where you can ask anonymously is good.

I think most questions I would have had have already been asked and answered. Thank you.

[CodLiverOil556]

@QuimReaper yes they are and yes the doctor has to sign to say it has been removed. We can reject a person if they have one in.

[TaighNamGastaOrt]

Sorry if this has beeen asked, but once the body has finished burning and you're left with calcified bones, do you then crush those too?
Fascinating thread OP, you sound like a lovely person. (I would have sobbed at the 4 year old too)

[CodLiverOil556]

@TimeIhadaNameChange all natural things can be put in. Any man made fibres are not really allowed. No glass/alcohol. The funeral directors have to sign to say there is nothing untoward in the coffin. Photos and letters are fine for example but whole books are not. Not too sure about pet ashes in the cremator but they can certainly be put into your ashes after cremation but that would be down to your family.

[CodLiverOil556]

@cjt110 what is it made of?

[CodLiverOil556]

@TaighNamGastaOrt they go through a process of cremulation where they are crushed into ashes. Takes around 1.5 minutes.

[ScarlettSahara]

Thank you for this thread OP- very informative & thank you for the work you do too . Hated my mum’s cremation service -very ‘gothic’ looking building with the coffin disappearing on a conveyor belt -just horrid. Probably not helped by my mum & me being so young.
Dad’s was better- Coffin stayed in place with just the curtains closing around it & light & airy building & the funeral directors staff (old family business) were superb. One lady member of staff told me she had been playing my Dad’s fav song & talking to him.
Interesting that you are not keen on the wicker coffins-was something I had been considering (planning ahead so not all left to family)

[cjt110]

Plastic/rubber with some metal bits and bobs.

[Topseyt]

Actually, I have also wondered whether the ashes of already cremated pets were allowed in the coffin, like a previous poster.

Are they allowed? Or will the family have to sort that out afterwards, and scatter the pet at the same time as they scatter me?

[Crumbelina]

Brizzle!

[CodLiverOil556]

@cjt110 I think that would be down to doctor as to whether it would explode or not. Pacemakers certainly do and they can cause really bad damage.

[CodLiverOil556]

@Topseyt I've never really had to deal with pet ashes but I would say not allowed but can be mixed/scattered with your ashes.

[Vitalogy]

What happens to all the precious metal that family don't request to be returned?

[CodLiverOil556]

@Vitalogy they are sent for recycling.

[TimeIhadaNameChange]

ILove - thank you. I think I'm going to have to make a will and make sure this is stipulated.

[Vitalogy]

Yes, but who keeps the value?

[CodLiverOil556]

@Vitalogy I'm it sure what you mean? The gold/silver is unrecognisable when it comes out of a cremator and get put in with all the hip joints/knees and any other metal that comes out of the cremator.

[CodLiverOil556]

@SomeDyke I've read about it and it sounds very interesting but not sure about going down the drain and whether this would be 100% safe. There does need to be another way of disposing bodies in the future as everyone knows fossil fuels are not going to last forever.

[Stillme1]

Kermit -I am so impressed with the things you have said on this this thread. I hope there was someone like you dealing with my family cremations. Thank you for your dedication and respect.
A family member had written a book and a copy was placed in the coffin along with letters etc. I don't know which crematorium you are in but the Funeral Directors told us that the book would be fine and that they make a careful note of everything which goes in the coffin. Do other crems have different rules?
Another question which may seem strange. I read above that you can see the skeleton in the cremator, but you do not open coffins. A person known to me was cremated and when the coffin arrived I thought it was a strange size compared to the shape of the deceased. The deceased was tall and slim, the coffin was certainly long but it was also deep. Would it be likely that a slim person would have a coffin which would look more suitable for a much heavier person? It has been something that I have worried about because no one saw the deceased die or visit them at the FD.
Thank you again for all that you do. I am so grateful that you say Cheerio to everyone.

[bilbodog]

Very interesting thread - thank you. To those asking about animal ashes surely you wait until you receive the human ashes and then mix them together? No need to cremate your pet twice.

[CatOwned]

At least in my corner of the world, coffins are cremated, too. A botanist told me that most of the ashes are actually from the burnt wood. Do you think this is possible?

[CodLiverOil556]

@Stillme1 after an hour or so the coffin has completely burnt away and that is when we would start to check how the cremation is going. When first charged all you can see is orange flame and noting else. I have raked out before and had a book still intact after cremation. We think it was a bible that had very tightly packed pages and years ago funeral directors used to use bibles as pillows for deceased. A paperback would be fine I should imagine

[CodLiverOil556]

@Stillme1 also with regards to that coffin I'm not sure. Maybe someone ordered the wrong size and put him in there anyway. Coffins don't have to be snug but that is a funeral directors question so can't give an accurate answer.

[MrsMotherHen]

Great thread it's nice to see how much respect goes into your line of work!

[ReggaetonLente]

I always say Cheerio and wish them well when charging a cremator.

Oh god that’s just set me off. We’ve just cremated my much loved dad after losing him unexpectedly and much too young. It’s lovely you say that to people.