The Cremation Processing of Remains

All cremations are performed individually and never as a group however there may be exceptions made only with close relatives and prior written instructions. The cremation process begins with the placement of the container or casket inside the cremation chamber where it is subject to intense heat.

Often the flames reach temperatures between 1400 to 1800 degrees fahrenheit. All substances are consumed by the fire except the bone fragments because it contains calcium compounds. Non combustible materials such as jewelry or anything metal that were not removed prior to cremation is not consumed as the temperature is not sufficient enough to burn them.

During the cremation process, it may be necessary for the crematory to open the chamber and reposition the the deceased in order to do a thorough cremation. The time of the actual cremation process varies depending on the size and weight of the deceased. It generally takes on average between 1.5 - 3 hours.

Following the cooling off period, the cremated remains are swept or raked from the chamber. Every effort is made to remove all cremains however there may be small residue that remains. This results in incidental commingling with other cremated remains and is something that cannot be prevented.

The cremains are removed from the chamber after cremation is complete and all non combustible items separated from the actual bone fragments. This is achieved by visible or magnetic selection and is disposed in a non-recoverable manner.

Once bone fragments have been separated, they are further processed so they are reduced to the size of uniform particles.

The cremains (cremation remains) usually weighs between 4-8 lbs. and are generally white in color but can be other colors depending on temperature variations and other factors. If no urn is provided by the family, the cremains are placed in a plastic bag or other temporary holding container until an urn can be acquired.