CREMATION OPTIONS

Cremation tycoon Henry Keizer, secretary general of the International Cremation Federation (ICF) and president/CEO of the Facultatieve Group, the Hague addressed CANA attendees on the topic of “Developments in Cremation Worldwide. ” He began his presentation by detailing ICF’s history and role in the cremation industry. The very first ICF convention, he explained took place in 1937 and was founded “to promote cremation to the highest standard. ” The group came together to create a set of rules and a code of ethics. In 1996 the ICF was granted consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations, which grants the federation the authority to contribute to the international cremation movement and the work of the United Nations. In some countries, Keizer said cremation is not accepted which has made the federation’s mission to “get the cremation movement going,” difficult. Greece for example is anti-cremation and yet has enormous influence on the government. Through the U. N. , however ICF has been able to have a greater push throughout the world. “As a worldwide organization we want to help people, but we also have to be sensitive,” said Keizer. “It’s a matter of learning and respecting each other. ” For example he said in Nepal, it is customary to bring the deceased person to the highest mountain and wait for the vultures to come. In other parts of the world this would be disrespectful. ICF has made a point to be sensitive to various cultures and traditions. Some of ICF’s goals include providing information about cremation, simplifying the cremation process and freezing cremation from any legal restrictions as well as eliminating any problems transporting cremated remains across country lines. Keizer also briefly spoke about the history of cremation. Although many people believe cremation was first developed in Europe, Keizer explained that this is not so. In 1792 Henry Laurens, the second president of the continental congress of the United States, a man who “fought fiercely against slavery,” noted in his will that he wanted this son to “cause my body to be wrapped in 12 yards of tow-cloth and burned until it be entirely consumed, and then collecting my bones, deposit them wherever he may think proper. ” There were no retorts at the time of course, so Laurens’ body was burned in a woodpile. The first active cremation came around 1815 in Europe, moving to Pennsylvania in 1876, then onto Canada in 1901 and the Netherlands in 1913. Keizer also spoke and showed slides of several modern crematories, one in Berlin that was built in 2000. The large and impressive building, he said has its downsides. For some people, “this is too impressive,” he said, “people are so impressed that they forget why they are there. It becomes about the building. ” Also in Berlin, the cremation process is fully automatic, with computers determining when each body will be cremated, when the casket will be taken out and placed in the retort, etc. And with the thousands of cremations taking place, often there is a backlog of six to eight weeks between the time of death and the time of cremation. In fact, the Berlin crematory has enough storage room for 600 caskets. With the cremation process becoming more and more automated, Keizer said it is important to keep the human element intact. At his firm, he said, “we have a rotating roster. ” One week, an operator may be working the retort, and the next week that person will be greeting families. Keizer went on to describe various cremation customs throughout the world. In India the family’s status is determined by the quality of wood used to cremate the body. With good quality wood being extremely expensive, “people will choose to use less wood from the higher quality instead of buying the right amount of the lower quality wood. ” The cremated remains in India are scattered in the river Ganges, into the same water where people bathe and where children play. The problem occurs when the cremated remains are not completely pulverized. As a solution, they have installed iron cages with meat eating turtles to devour any flesh. At the end of his presentation, Keizer touched on the future of cremation. He described the café’ at his crematory which gives families a place to hold a reception. A cemetery of crematory “doesn’t have to be dark and gloomy, or have the odor of death. People need to feel at home. ” He also spoke about how the Ospar convention relates to the cremation industry, as far as the amalgam in dental work which, when boiled into a vapor, separates into extremely toxic mercury. As a result of the convention, in most countries, by 2012 retorts will have to have filters in place. “There is a lot of money in that,” he said, suggesting that although this will probably happen in Canada before the United States that all crematory owners need to come up with a strategy.

If you or a family member have any further questions or concerns with respect to cremation, cremation services, cremation costs or a direct cremation please feel free to contact Cremation Options toll free 24 hours daily at 1-877-989-9090.

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