Cremation isn’t as simple as one would think: it’s a complex process carefully executed with diligence. In Canada, strict legislation ensures that every step treats the person who is being cremated with care and dignity.
During cremation, extreme heat reduces the body, casket, and clothing to mineral ash and fragments. The ash and fragments are then further reduced to a coarse powder through a pulverizing process and placed in an urn or container with proper identification.
What if the person being cremated had a prosthetic or a medical implant? What happens to those, and can they be cremated with the body? It differs, so let’s explore the cases.
How Is a Body Prepared for Cremation?
Before cremation preparations begin, the deceased person's identity must be confirmed, and the Executor or Executors of the will must sign a Cremation Authorization Form. After the paperwork has been processed, the body can be prepared for cremation.
Unless the person expressed their wishes before their death, loved ones choose what the person will wear and if they wish to cremate them with any personal items. For example, you might include a farewell letter from close family and friends, a stuffed animal or blanket, wooden prayer beads, or flowers. Any items made from glass, metal, or rubber cannot be cremated due to health and safety concerns.
Any items you don’t wish to be cremated, such as wedding rings, would be removed. Pacemakers, defibrillators, and any items with a battery must be removed for safety.
At this time, the body would be washed and, if desired, embalmed. In Ontario, embalming is generally not required but may be chosen by the family.
Finally, the person is placed within a wooden casket or enclosed cremation container along with any items that will be cremated with them to begin the process.
Cremation with Prosthetics
When a person has prosthetics or implants, preparing for cremation will depend on the exact nature of the items and their materials.
Internal prosthetics are typically kept with the body for cremation. These include breast implants, hip or knee replacements, and even fillings.
External prosthetics are easy to detach and are usually removed before cremation. This includes artificial limbs such as transhumeral, transradial, transtibial, or transfemoral prosthetics.
In Ontario, the only implants that must be removed according to by-laws are battery-operated devices. Think pacemakers or ICDs (Internal Cardiovascular Defibrillators). This is because they pose a risk of exploding during the cremation process.
Common Types of Prosthetics and Implants and Their Fate in Cremation
Pacemakers, ICDs, and other battery-operated implants: These are required by Ontario law to be removed before the cremation process begins.
Artificial limbs: These are removed before the cremation process. The family can keep the prosthetic and permit the metal to be recycled or properly disposed of. While health regulations in Canada forbid the reuse of prosthetic limbs, families can donate prosthetics to international organizations that give prosthetics to people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford them.
Hip joints: Most hip joints are made of metals like titanium and stainless steel. The metal won’t burn, and after cremation, it’s separated from the body. The family can permit the metal to be recycled or properly disposed of.
Knee replacements: Similar to a hip prosthesis, knee replacements are usually made from either titanium- or cobalt-chromium-based alloys. The metal won’t burn, and after the cremation, it’s separated from the body. The family can permit the metal to be recycled or properly disposed of.
Breast implants: These implants are often made of silicone and stay in the body during cremation.
Dental implants: Gold teeth and fillings will melt during the cremation process. After the cooling period, crematorium staff will use a metal detector to collect any pieces. While the metal will melt during the cremation process, it’ll solidify during cooling, so extracting it from the ashes is necessary. Before cremation, the family can coordinate an extraction and keep the teeth, give their permission to recycle the metal or have it properly disposed of by staff.
Ethical Considerations: Discussing Family Wishes and Cultural Practices
At Simple Choice Cremation, we believe in the importance of upholding your wishes and offering options so you can choose to practice your cultural and religious customs. Consider if the person who passed away had any religious affiliations and if they had any wishes for their final resting place.
Environmental Concerns and Cremation Byproducts
In Canada, cremation is fueled by gas, and its emissions include combustion gases (e.g., carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide), fine dust, and organic pollutants (e.g. PCDDs and PCDFs).
Some cremations will produce more emissions than others based on several variables, including the composition of the casket or cremation container, whether any personal mementoes have been included in the casket, and whether the body has undergone any radiotherapy.
Alternative Choices: Exploring Options Beyond Traditional Cremation
Today, traditional cremation and casket burials aren’t the only options. There are several alternatives to meet your needs and wishes. Here, we’ve covered some of the most common alternatives to traditional arrangements:
Direct Cremation: Direct cremation occurs shortly after death, generally without embalming; instead, the body is maintained in cold storage prior to the cremation.
Green burial: The Green Burial Society of Canada defines a green or natural burial as maintaining these five core principles: no embalming, direct earth burial, ecological restoration and conservation, communal memorialization, and optimized land use.
Alkaline hydrolysis: Alkaline hydrolysis uses water, alkaline chemicals, pressure, heat, and agitation to cremate remains. It’s viewed as an environmentally friendly option because it uses approximately 80-90% less energy. The final result of alkaline hydrolysis is a sterile liquid that’s then safely disposed of in the sewer system. Pacemakers don’t need to be removed for alkaline hydrolysis, also called “water cremation,” while they do for fire cremation.
The choice is yours
At Simple Choice Cremation, we prioritize providing you with the information you need to make the best-informed choice. To further understand your options, please read a complete guide: What type of service is right for you?
