Fire and Water: Two Types Of Cremation Services To Consider

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When you think of cremation services, you generally think of cremation by fire. That is the one most commonly offered and most commonly accepted, but did you know that you could be cremated in other ways? The additional cremation method has less of an impact on the environment. There is cremation by fire and cremation by water. Here is more on these two types of cremation. 

Cremation by Fire

Most funeral homes offer cremation by fire. They will lay your body on a slab or place it in a wooden coffin and push you inside the crematorium. Somewhere above 1400 degrees, the body breaks down and incinerates into ash and dry bone. After a certain number of hours, the cremains are rolled out, the remaining pieces of bone are smashed into powder, and all of the cremains are then scooped into a box or placed in an urn, depending on whatever arrangements you made ahead of time. If you did not make arrangements ahead of time for your cremains, then it is up to your surviving family members to decide how they will take your cremains home with them. 

Cremation by Water (Alkaline Hydrolysis)

Humans are mostly water already, so it is a curious thing that cremation by water would work. However, this water actually contains a higher alkaline concentration than most water you know or have contact with daily. It is the alkalinity of the water and the lower cremation temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit that causes a complete breakdown of the body. Your body is placed in a vat that is heated to a specific temperature and contains the alkaline water. Your body remains there until the process is complete, which is usually a couple of days versus the few hours in the crematorium oven. 

A lot of people shy away from this cremation service simply because it may sound like it borders on the macabre. Yet, if you are already considering incinerating your body, cremation by water with an added chemical is really not that much more macabre. The chemical used for this process is lye, which in its purest form will dissolve flesh, tissues, and most bone. Your body is placed in a vat of lye powder and water and left there until the body is fully dissolved. For most, it could take a few days, but for larger bodies, it could take up to a week. 

Look for a professional who provides cremation services to learn more about your options. 

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27 November 2019

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