How does cremation work?
Cremation is completed at a crematorium. Relatives contact the funeral home or mortuary to make arrangements for the services. The funeral homes or mortuaries do not have crematory facilities on site and subcontract the work out to a reputable third-party vendor. Relatives may also contact a cremation society. Cremation societies maintain their own cremation facility on the premises. Some states mandate a waiting period of at least 24 to 48 hours before the actual cremation takes place. After the waiting period passes, the body is taken to the crematorium and placed in a coffin or container with any pacemakers, prosthetics, or mechanical or radioactive devices removed so as not to damage the cremation chamber. The coffin or container is placed into the cremation chamber. Intense heat at 1500 to 2100 degrees Fahrenheit vaporizes the body until it is reduced to ashes. The process usually takes between one to four hours, depending on the size of the body. Bones that have not burned are cr
