The cremation process: What happens to the coffin after a cremation?

In the UK, we often feel uncomfortable talking about death. As a result, lots of people are left with questions – and some confusing answers – about what happens during a cremation. In this article, we tackle the question: "what happens to the coffin after cremation?", and provide some additional context. 

What happens to the coffin after a cremation?

The person who has died is placed inside the coffin which is carefully moved into the cremation chamber. Both the coffin, and the person who has died are cremated together. 

After the cremation, the ashes are gathered, cooled, and prepared to be returned to the family or scattered in the garden of remembrance. The coffin becomes part of the ashes during cremation, so it cannot be reused.

Are coffins re-used after a cremation?

No. There is a common misconception that coffins are recycled. This is not something that would happen as part of our direct cremation process.

What happens during the cremation process?

Before cremation, the body is carefully prepared by our skilled team. If the person had a pacemaker, prosthesis or certain types of implant, these are removed as part of the preparations. When complete, the body is gently placed in the coffin and transported to the crematorium.

At the crematorium, all documentation is verified before the coffin is placed into the cremation chamber and sealed. Only one person is cremated at a time, and most chambers are designed to accommodate a single coffin. The intense heat inside the chamber reduces the body and coffin to ash and bone fragments.

Once cooled, the remains pass through a magnetized machine that removes any metal implants or coffin fixtures. The ash and bone fragments then go through a cremulator, which processes them into a powder.

Finally, the ashes are carefully gathered and prepared to be either returned to the family or scattered in the gardens of remembrance.

How can I be sure that the remains will be kept separate?

The crematorium takes great care to track identification throughout the process. Each cremator accommodates only one coffin at a time, and once the cremation is complete, the remains are placed in a separate cooling chamber.

After cooling and further preparation, the ashes are transferred into an individual container clearly labeled with the person's full identification details. This ensures complete traceability from beginning to end.

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