Scattering Ashes

This is something you should spend some time thinking about, it would be awful if your or a friends ashes were scattered in a beautiful garden only for it to be destroyed when an ugly apartment block is built in its place. People like to visit the place where ashes have been scattered when there is no grave or tombstone. Try and make it a place that will not change too much, somewhere people will want to reflect about the deceased.

There are not really any laws that prohibit ashes being scattered due to certain public health risks. Once a body has been cremated, you are pretty much open to do what you like. Anything from blasting them off into space with rockets to just keeping them up on the mantle piece. A cemetery may have rules about burying ashes, but these are not laws

With the high cost of funerals today, more people are choosing to be cremated. While putting a vase of Auntie Peggy's ashes on the mantle might be a great conversation piece, most people don't want an Urn of the dead in their home. Learn the etiquette of ashes and follow the laws to avoid any future repercussions.

If you are chosen to bring home an urn of ashes ("Cremated Remains") by a loved one, you must know that you can't just dump the ashes anywhere. The law labels ashes as "Human Remains". Not everything in that urn is ashes I might add. The largest part of the body will be turned to ash, but there will be large bone fragments, bridge work, casket material and "debris" in that urn too. Debris might be markers from surgeries a person endured during their lifetime. Most of the largest bone fragments are pulverized. Not pretty, but neither is a pubic bone. The rest isn't going to be identifiable, but you should be aware that it is there.

First you have the option of following the wishes of the deceased. If their wishes are legal! There are hundreds of requests each year sent to National Parks for disposal of remains. Some parks will allow this, but not very many and you MUST have a permit. Of course this permit will cost you! The law forbids you to dispose of "human remains" on public land and inland bodies of water. This happens anyway, but if you are caught you will go to prison, straight to prison, and stay there a very long time. People are funny about this subject.If you decide to dump Aunt Susie in the backyard, when you sell the home you must disclose that "human remains" have been disposed of on this property. If you do not own the property you should try to get permission in writing!!

Many people are scattered at sea. This is a very nice ceremony with flowers and a few words spoken by a man of the cloth. Or you can chose to give the remains to them and they will do a combined scattering with several clients. This is cheaper, but you don't have the closure of a small ceremony and seeing the ashes actually going into the sea. If you should decide to sprinkle at sea on your own, you MUST be at least 3 miles from the coast and report the disposal to the EPA. They have a form on their website.There are Biodegradable urns that you can use at sea and on land. The urn will naturally break-down and the ashes evenly distributed through the environment.There is a new service that places ashes in large balloons and releases them. This service has had many problems and I do not recommend using them.!!

Many cemeteries have a section where you can "scatter" a love one for a small fee. They have an segregated area of the cemetery where people can spread ashes. Then the cemetery keeps track of the records and you are free to go on with your life.There are mausoleums that are designed just for keeping an urn of ashes. These are very expensive, but usually very nice too. If you care to visit your loved one, without having to dust the urn, this is for you.There is also a service that sprinkles ashes from a plane. While having the advantage of being enviro friendly, you cannot witness your loved one being sprinkled.

There are also laws in a few states that say you have to have a "permanent" container to keep loved ones that are not being buried or sprinkled. Meaning you cannot keep them in the cardboard box that the crematory gave you after the service. Each state has different laws that are becoming more and more detailed about disposal of the body. Make sure you discuss your options with the professionals at the time of arrangements and you will avoid the box in the corner of the closet.Whatever decision you make follow two important suggestions; no piles, scatter the ashes and make sure you know which direction the wind is blowing when scattering!

Please email us and let us know of any new ways of scattering ashes so we can add them to the site. Thanks.

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