Tag: Embalming

That is the fear of Britain's funeral directors after MEPs voted to restrict the use of formaldehyde. And - in a concession secured by a Conservative MEP - it has delayed the ban on the substance for three years to allow the industry to adjust. UK funeral prices to be probed Funerals 'rushed' amid lack of crematoria The Health and Safety Executive said it would welcome any measures to help controls but is trying to get more time for the funeral industry to adjust. The European Commission has proposed formalising exposure limits. Formaldehyde, which can cause irritation and has been linked to nasopharyngeal cancer, is one of five industrial chemicals to be added to the European Commission's list of restricted carcinogens and mutagens. The UK funeral industry says it recognises that formaldehyde, which is also used in hospitals and in a wide variety of industrial processes, has been linked to serious illnesses. And if an alternative to formalin cannot be found, then the "culture" around Christian burials and cremations in the UK, will have to change, with funeral directors advising more families against seeing their loved one in the coffin, although ultimately it is the family's choice whether to do so. The funeral industry estimates between 50% and 55% of cadavers in the UK undergo some form of embalming so they can be viewed by relatives. The embalming process Bodies have been preserved after death since at least 4,000 BC Embalming using formaldehyde and other chemicals began in the late 1800s to preserve bodies for scientific study It involves the draining of the deceased's fluids and the injection of chemical solutions into the arteries, tissues and sometimes organs The process takes about an hour and embalmers are required to wear protective clothing and respirators "Visiting a loved one in the chapel of rest can be both a distressing and comforting experience for families, and it is also proven to be an important part of the grieving process," says Jon Levett, chief executive of the National Association of Funeral Directors. "For funeral directors, embalming offers the only realistic solution that will delay deterioration and present the deceased person at peace and as close to their appearance before death as possible; particularly where there has been a post mortem, examination, traumatic death - or to accommodate the increasing gap between death and a funeral which is now often two or three weeks.