posted
I was just told that it's illegal by probably federal law, to spread the ashes resulting from the cremation of a human body. I find this rather hard to believe. It was added when I questioned the idea that the possible reason was in case DNA testing needed to be done. Now, I'm no expert, but it seems to me that cremation might destroy DNA. But, what do I know?
I've googled til I'm blue in the face and find nothing to substantiate or dispute claims that spreading crematory remains is illegal by any federal or state (of michigan) law.
Can anyone provide some insight?
tag dust in the wind... urit
-------------------- Explore, enjoy and protect the planet --- AAMAH Posts: 8532 | From: Michigan | Registered: Mar 2000
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i'm taking the afternoon off to stalk my previous boss who fired me for taking afternoons off. Posts: 728 | From: the funshine state! | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Thanks, oh pleeze. That document deals more directly with those contracted to scatter cremated remains, but it gave me the correct term, cremated remains rather than crematory remains and I've edited my thread title accordingly. It also gave me some keywords to search on.
I've learned more than I wanted to know about cremation. Numero uno is that it's not ashes, and not referred to as ashes. Hollywood gave us that concept. What remains after cremation, generally speaking, is bone fragments and there is a pulverization process that breaks these fragments up into unidentifiable bits.
There are companies that contract to do scattering. Who knew? There are aerial scattering companies and companies that scatter cremated remains at sea. Some companies will scatter them wherever you want them, within regulations. And that brings me to the lawsuits filed against companies that didn't fulfill their scattering obligations, resulting in most of the scattering regulations that exist. Scattering companies have left remains in empty lots. Some have stored remains in warehouses, making no attempt to scatter them. Scattering companies have even dumped remains into a common container and scattered many simultaneously.
Remains can be scattered on uninhabited public land, out to sea (with restrictions usually regarding distance from coastline) or private land with written consent of the owner. There are scattering areas in some cemeteries. There's even scattering by balloon ascent and dispersal by personalized fireworks display!
But, nowhere did I find any law against taking your relative's remains and scattering them to the wind. Of course, you still need written permission if you plan to scatter them on private property.
Also, I haven't found anything to indicate there is DNA in cremated remains, though that's probably not important now. I'm inclined to believe the DNA is destroyed by the cremation process.
tag cremated remains to cremated remains? doesn't have quite the same ring to it... urit
-------------------- Explore, enjoy and protect the planet --- AAMAH Posts: 8532 | From: Michigan | Registered: Mar 2000
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quote:Originally posted by tagurit: But, nowhere did I find any law against taking your relative's remains and scattering them to the wind.
The Catholic Church prohibits it:
quote:The practice of scattering cremated remains on the sea, from the air, or on the ground, or keeping cremated remains in the home of a relative or friend of the deceased are not the reverent disposition that the Church requires. (Order of Christian Funerals, Appendix II)
That's as close to a law (nothing in the CCL!) as I could find.
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Turing test failures: 6 Posts: 5481 | From: Decatur, GA | Registered: Nov 2002
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Rhiandmoi
Ding Dong! Merrily on High Definition TV
posted
John John was put out to the sea, maybe they got special permission from the Pope. I don't remember any scattering though, it was very windy that day, or maybe they didn't scatter and just laid to rest the ashes. hmmmmm.
-------------------- I think that hyperbole is the single greatest factor contributing to the decline of society. - My friend Pat.
quote:Originally posted by rhiandmoi for a limited time: John John was put out to the sea, maybe they got special permission from the Pope. I don't remember any scattering though, it was very windy that day, or maybe they didn't scatter and just laid to rest the ashes. hmmmmm.
They permit burial at sea without any special permission as long as it's in a container that is heavy enough to bring it to the bottom and local secular law doesn't prohibit it.
-------------------- All posts foretold by Nostradamus.
Turing test failures: 6 Posts: 5481 | From: Decatur, GA | Registered: Nov 2002
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quote:Originally posted by tagurit: What remains after cremation, generally speaking, is bone fragments and there is a pulverization process that breaks these fragments up into unidentifiable bits.
I've been near the oversized Moulinex they use for that while it was running... very loud.
Some people have "issues" with cremated remains. I used to work for a courier company that took the neatly boxed and wrapped remains to the funeral homes (where they were put in urns).
Some drivers refused to have them onboard.
I used to put them on the front seat and ask them what kind of music they wanted to listen too. Funny, they all liked rock 'n' roll.
-------------------- Semper ubi sub ubi Posts: 1175 | From: Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jan 2003
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