Reasons for choosing cremation
Some people find they prefer cremation for personal reasons. For
some people it is because they are not attracted to traditional burial. The thought of a long, slow decomposition process
is unappealing to some; some people find that they prefer cremation because it disposes of the body immediately.
Other people view cremation as a way of simplifying their funeral
process. These people view a traditional burial as an unneeded complication of their funeral process, and thus choose cremation
to make their services as simple as possible.
The cost factor tends to make cremation attractive. Generally speaking,
cremation costs less than traditional burial services, especially if direct cremation is chosen, in which the body is
cremated as soon as legally possible without any sort of services. However, there is wide variation in the cost of cremation
services, having mainly to do with the amount of service desired by the deceased or the family. A cremation can take place
after a full traditional funeral service, which adds cost. The type of container used also influences cost.
Cremated remains can be scattered or buried. Cremation plots or
columbarium niches usually cost less than a burial plot or mausoleum crypt, and require less space. However, some religions,
such as Roman Catholicism, require the burial or entombment of cremated remains.
Environmental benefits
To some, cremation might be preferable for environmental reasons.
Burial is a known source of certain environmental contaminants. Embalming fluids, for example, are known to contaminate groundwater
with mercury, arsenic and formaldehyde. The coffins themselves are another known source of contamination. Another concern
is contamination from radioisotopes that entered the body before death or burial (from, among other things, radiation therapy);
it is possible that the decay of such corpses could cause environmental pollution.
Yet another environmental concern, of sorts, is that traditional
burial takes up a great deal of space. In a traditional burial the body is buried in a casket made from a variety of materials.
In America the casket is often placed inside a concrete vault or liner before burial in the ground. While individually this
may not take much room, combined with other burials it can over time cause serious space concerns. Many cemeteries, particularly
in Japan and Europe as well as those in larger cities, are starting to run out of space. In Tokyo, for example, traditional
burial plots are extremely scarce and expensive,[12] and in London, a space crisis led Harriet Harman to propose re-opening
old graves for "double-decker" burials.
Environmental concerns
There is a growing body of research that indicates cremation has
a significant impact on the environment:
The major emissions from crematories are: nitrogen oxides, carbon
monoxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, mercury, hydrogen fluoride (HF), hydrogen chloride (HCl), NMVOCs, and other
heavy metals, in addition to Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP).
According to the United Nations Environment Programme report on
POP Emission Inventory Guidebook, emissions from crematoria, although comparatively small on an international scale, are still
statistically significant. The POP inventory indicates that crematoria contribute 0.2% of the global emission of dioxins and
furans.
