Interview with a funeral director

I had a good conversation with a funeral director today where I learnt some very interesting facts.
As we would have guessed, the majority of funerals these days are cremations, this is largely due to the cost, burials are more expensive, but also because in already overcrowded cemeteries, you have to have a pre-bought  plot. A family would buy a plot in the cemetery and intend future generations of their family to be buried in it, one on top of the other, or in a vault if you were very rich.
Another myth that I had dispelled was the quantity of ashes. I had always thought that there would be much more ash produced from the cremation than what was given to you in the Urn. Not so... The tiny amount , equivalent to a bag of sugar is the entire quantity produced from the cremation. All metals that are left in the ashes, fillings, jewelery, steel pins, nails, screws, staples are taken out by a magnet and buried secretly within the grounds of the crematorium. They are not allowed to recycle these items.
Humanist funerals are becoming more popular now but moreso among people under 60. Older generations are still sticking to more traditional and religious ceremonies. Younger generations tend to be moving away from religious ceremonies are more into conservation and want biodegradable coffins and woodland or meadow sites.
He dosen't see his job changing too much in the very near future, he thinks he will see change happening slowly over the next 20 years or so regarding the eco friendly aspects of funerals, but thinks that religion will still play a rolein funerals for many people.