If you or a loved one have surgical implants, be aware that metal implants will not be in your loved one’s urn following cremation. Handling of incombustible semi-precious metal implants following cremation is not something we think about when we are grieving. However, there are a few reasons why this will be a consumer protection concern increasingly affecting a growing segment of Hawai‘i:
- Hawai‘i, like much of the US, is experiencing a rapid growth in its retiree population.
- Significant medical advances and the increased use of surgical implants are becoming common-place for repairing or replacing bones and joints due to deterioration or fractures.
- Hawai‘i has the fourth-highest cremation rate in the US, therefore, a continued accumulation of surgical implants after cremation is likely.
These incombustible remains will need to be discarded, recycled or resold by the mortuary industry in Hawai‘i. These metals may include, but are not limited to, silver, gold, titanium, platinum and palladium, in the form of dental fillings, plates, rods and screws for your teeth, neck, spine, hip and other joints. What happens to them? Are they donated, recycled, sold or discarded in a landfill? Are families providing their informed consent regarding their approved method of disposition?
Is there evidence of unreported revenue generation? The fact is, we do not know what Hawai‘i’s mortuaries are doing. Meanwhile, companies in the continental US are harvesting these metals from mortuaries. Some company websites indicate that they can donate the proceeds to a nonprofit upon a mortuary’s request. The proceeds can also provide the mortuary with an additional revenue stream.
But what is happening in Hawai‘i is unclear. The mortuary industry is silent. If a financial transaction is made, should mortuaries reimburse families for the value of these metals? That might be an insurmountable administrative task and a challenge to enforce. If there is revenue, a donation to a nonprofit would impress the community. Through community dialogue, it is possible to create a collaborative framework that ensures transparency, ethics and community benefits.
CULLEN T. HAYASHIDA is an affiliate faculty member with the Center on Aging, and the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Over the past 50 years, he has been involved with developing over 50 elder care service projects in hospital, nursing home, home care, college and community settings, and has provided technical assistance to other organizations locally, nationally and in East Asia. He has taught at the University of Washington, Willamette University, Case Western Reserve University, Kapi‘olani Community College, University of Hawai‘i and JF Oberlin University.
If you have a story to share, email the editor: debra@generations808.com.
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