Can pacemakers be recycled?
Pacemakers are small electrical devices that some people have fitted to regulate their heartbeat. When someone who has a pacemaker dies and will be cremated, it is important that the pacemaker is removed for safety reasons.
Sometimes people wonder what then happens to the device, is it thrown away, recycled or re-used?
At Rosedale, one of our trained mortuary operatives, Kevin or Sam, will carefully remove the pacemaker. It is then taken to Breckland Crematorium who have partnered with OrthoMetals, a family owned company which has specialised in the recycling of metals from crematoria for over 25 years.
Once they have collected the pacemakers, OrthoMetals then test them. Those that are suitable are donated to a pacemaker charity for use in developing countries and the remaining pacemakers are sold with the proceeds donated to a bereavement related charity.
Rosedale Funeral Home has many years of experience and we are always here to help so please contact any of our homes in Attleborough, Beccles, Bungay, Diss, Halesworth, Harleston or Wymondham if you need assistance. Find details of our homes here.
