British crematoriums raise £2m selling metal body parts that don’t burn
Nearly £2million was raised by British crematoriums last year through selling metal body parts left behind in furnaces, it has emerged.
Some 10,393st (66,000kg) of ‘high grade’ metals like titanium used in hip and knee replacements were collected from 260 crematoriums signed up to a special but macabre recycling scheme.
Rather than bin or bury titanium plates, screws and even gold teeth that survive the 1,800F furnace, crematoriums started selling them to a recycling firm.
The scheme has now raised £6.6million since its launch – with all proceeds going to bereavement charities.
The 145,500lbs of metal collected in 2018 is a record and with people living longer and having more artificial joints along the way, the amount is likely to rise year on year.
Last year it raised £1.7m. Grieving families give their consent for the metals to be removed and recycled after cremation.
The material is collected twice a year by Dutch firm OrthoMetals which separate the higher grade titanium and cobalt from the other less valuable types.
They are later melted down and sold on to be used in the aircraft and car industries, with some being re-used in the making of road signs.
Stephen Tapper, of Harbour View crematorium in Poole, Dorset, which is signed up to the scheme, said: “The amount of metals recovered is only going to keep increasing as people are living longer and getting artificial joints.
“I think of my father as one example – I call him a bionic man! All his golfing chums have had artificial hips inserted and other procedures.”
Hidde Verberne, of OrthoMetals, predicted the amount of metals recovered will keep increasing for the next 15 years, before declining after that due to the advance in stem cell technology.
He said: “The number of kilos will increase for sure and this is expected for the next 10 to 15 years. After the babyboom generation a decrease is expected.
“Also the technology on how implants are made will change, with 3D printing, stem cell technology and use of ceramics.”
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