Burial is a known source of certain environmental contaminants, with formaldehyde and the coffin itself being major contaminants. Cremation can also release contaminants, such as mercury from dental fillings.[73] In some countries such as the United Kingdom, the law now requires that cremators be fitted with abatement equipment (filters) that remove serious pollutants such as mercury.

To help protect you from overspending on funeral costs – or if you want to make sure your loved ones are not burdened with your funeral debt – write down your preferences ahead of time, starting with whether you prefer to be buried or cremated. It’s also a good idea to list the type of service you prefer (a traditional viewing, a graveside service, or cremation), as well as the place of service (at a church, funeral home, or cemetery).


_{I had the pleasure of working with Sherre Cook for my planning needs. Sherre handled all (and there were many) of my questions and took the time to completely understand my needs before directing my service selection from Neptune Society. I have had a lot of experience with Customer Service and I have to say, especially in light of the nature of this service, she is a true professional and an overall great person to work with.}


A dead adult Hindu is mourned with a cremation, while a dead child is typically buried.[106][107] The rite of passage is performed in harmony with the Hindu religious view that the microcosm of all living beings is a reflection of a macrocosm of the universe.[108] The soul (Atman, Brahman) is the essence and immortal that is released at the Antyeshti ritual, but both the body and the universe are vehicles and transitory in various schools of Hinduism. They consist of five elements – air, water, fire, earth and space.[108] The last rite of passage returns the body to the five elements and origins.[106][108][109] The roots of this belief are found in the Vedas, for example in the hymns of Rigveda in section 10.16, as follows:


When choosing a cremation urn for ashes, a few things to keep in mind are size, type and material. The standard cremation urn is 220 cubic inches. When determining what size you need, keep in mind that one pound of human weight is equivalent to one cubic inch. Other types of urns are keepsake and jewelry urns. Both keepsake and jewelry urns are smaller in size and are meant to be tokens of remembrance for friends and family. The average keepsake urn is three cubic inches.


_{Ashes can be buried, scattered or kept in an urn. The crematory will deliver the remains either in a temporary container or in a permanent container, such as an urn, that you provide. Cemeteries provide several options for interring cremated remains including plots for burial and “niches” in a columbarium. They also offer gardens for scattering. See Cemeteries for more on this. Tiny containers, designed to be worn as jewelry, are also available to hold only a small portion of ashes.}


^{At present there are four crematoria in operation at BIRKENAU, two large ones, I and II, and two smaller ones, III and IV. Those of type I and II consist of 3 parts, i.e.,: (A) the furnace room; (B) the large halls; and (C) the gas chamber. A huge chimney rises from the furnace room around which are grouped nine furnaces, each having four openings. Each opening can take three normal corpses at once and after an hour and a half the bodies are completely burned. This corresponds to a daily capacity of about 2,000 bodies… Crematoria III and IV work on nearly the same principle, but their capacity is only half as large. Thus the total capacity of the four cremating and gassing plants at BIRKENAU amounts to about 6,000 daily.[35]}


Sir Henry Thompson, 1st Baronet, a surgeon and Physician to the Queen Victoria, had seen Gorini’s cremator at the Vienna Exhibition and had returned home to become the first and chief promoter of cremation in England.[18] His main reason for supporting cremation was that “it was becoming a necessary sanitary precaution against the propagation of disease among a population daily growing larger in relation to the area it occupied”. In addition, he believed, cremation would prevent premature burial, reduce the expense of funerals, spare mourners the necessity of standing exposed to the weather during interment, and urns would be safe from vandalism.[18] He joined with other proponents to form the Cremation Society of Great Britain in 1874.”[18] They founded the United Kingdom’s first crematorium in Woking,[22] with Gorini travelling to England to assist the installation of a cremator. They first tested it on 17 March 1879 with the body of a horse. However, after protests and an intervention by the Home Secretary, Sir Richard Cross, their plans were put on hold. In 1884, the Welsh Neo-Druidic priest William Price was arrested and put on trial for attempting to cremate his son’s body.[23] Price successfully argued in court that while the law did not state that cremation was legal, it also did not state that it was illegal. The case set a precedent that allowed the Cremation Society to proceed.[24]

If a family wants an alternative to standard cremation caskets, there are a couple of options. The first is looking at “green caskets”. They are typically made of natural resources that will be acceptable for cremation. Another casket category is Jewish caskets (also called arons). Although designed for Jewish funerals, these caskets are made entirely out of wood so they can be cremated.

With the passing of my mother on January 31, all I really knew was she had pre-paid for her service with National Cremation Society. After making a few calls to various areas, I finally got an answer in their Tampa office who immediately told me that New Smyrna was in the Oviedo area. With one answer of the phone, NCS took over the entire situation with speed and professionalism. Stephen and his entire staff handled everything from pickup to shipment of the remains to Pennsylvania. My wife and I couldn’t be more grateful and are now considering having NCS handle our passing.


Another environmental concern 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 the United States, 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[77] and Europe as well as those in larger cities, have run out of permanent space. In Tokyo, for example, traditional burial plots are extremely scarce and expensive,[78] and in London, a space crisis led Harriet Harman to propose reopening old graves for “double-decker” burials.[79] Some cities in Germany do not have plots for sale, only for lease. When the lease expires, the remains are disinterred and a specialist bundles the bones, inscribes the forehead of the skull with the information that was on the headstone, and places the remains in a special crypt.


_{Robin Fisher and all the staff at the Oviedo location are consummate professionals who are a credit to their calling. You have taken care of our family for the second time and we cannot press our thanks adequately. Most of my family members are signed up with national Cremation secure in the knowledge that when our time comes they will take care of our families. Mike}


Cremation boxes are available in traditional wood, stone, or metal. There are various styles available as well. From simple, clean lines to embellished boxes to graphics. Many cremation boxes can also be personalized by adding engravings or photographs. Some choose to adorn the cremation box with an important message, quote, or saying that encapsulates the life of your loved one.


Cremation services can be much less expensive than in-ground burial. But be sure that you take into account all of the costs associated with the type of funeral or memorial ceremony you would like when comparing prices. Many factors go into the exact cost and prices can vary widely from state-to-state and city-to-city.  Even within your own local area prices will vary depending on the provider. It definitely pays to shop around. The exact portfolio of services you choose will play a big part in determining the overall price for the cremation you have in mind.


^{In 1885, the first official cremation in the United Kingdom took place in Woking. The deceased was Jeanette Pickersgill, a well-known figure in literary and scientific circles.[25] By the end of the year, the Cremation Society of Great Britain had overseen two more cremations, a total of 3 out of 597,357 deaths in the UK that year.[22] In 1888, 28 cremations took place at the venue. In 1891, Woking Crematorium added a chapel, pioneering the concept of a crematorium being a venue for funerals as well as cremation.[21]}


After the sudden passing of my wife, Caren, I contacted National Cremation. They met me at the hospital and set up an appointment with Mr. Stephen Barreto. He was very professional, knowledgeable, caring and while treating me with the utmost respect, he very patiently explained all my options. Within a very short period, all the arrangements were made and only five days later I received the urn in preparation for a Memorial Service at their location. Although we had a larger than expected turnout, Mr. Barreto went out of his way to accommodate everyone. His assistance and that of the staff was simply outstanding and very much appreciated. Altogether, Mr. Barreto while very compassionate made the whole experience as painless as possible.


Pre-arranging your cremation is simple and affordable and gives you peace of mind knowing that you will relieve the burden on your family. Pre arranging also enables you to lock in today’s low prices and will give you worldwide protection in the event you’re traveling or if you decide to relocate. Call us today and ask about attending one of our informational seminars while enjoying a complementary lunch or dinner.


Similar to a funeral home, the cremation provider who performs the direct cremation will be in charge of the entire process – including transporting the body, performing the cremation, returning the cremated remains, and filling out a death certificate. However, with direct cremation, there is typically no embalming nor body preparation – therefore, a viewing or visitation is typically not an option. The fees charged by direct cremation providers are typically much less than a funeral home.


The staff at the National Cremation and Burial Society Oviedo is actively involved in the community, working closely with local hospice organizations, hospitals, assisted living facilities and nursing homes. They participate in various church affiliations and have maintained a AAA rating with the Better Business Bureau. We are a full service funeral home, providing cremation and burial services, and serve Seminole, Orange, Volusia, Polk, Brevard, Lake, and Osceola counties.


_{Cremation services can be much less expensive than in-ground burial. But be sure that you take into account all of the costs associated with the type of funeral or memorial ceremony you would like when comparing prices. Many factors go into the exact cost and prices can vary widely from state-to-state and city-to-city.  Even within your own local area prices will vary depending on the provider. It definitely pays to shop around. The exact portfolio of services you choose will play a big part in determining the overall price for the cremation you have in mind.}