How long can you keep human ashes?

Cremains in the Ground
In some settings, cremains are buried in the ground without either an urn or a tomb. The process for degrading is relatively short. Biodegradable urns speed the process but still may take up to twenty years to degrade. Once the biodegrade happens, the body will unite with the soil quickly.
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Can you keep someone's ashes forever?

It can remain for a long time. Because of this, their energy can still be felt by the living. In truth, the dead never leave us but are in another dimension of existence. There's nothing wrong with keeping a loved one's ashes in the house.
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Is it OK to keep human ashes at home?

There's nothing bad about keeping cremated remains at home. Even though the practice is legal, those from specific faith communities may object to the practice. Some religious faiths, such as followers of Islam, Eastern Orthodox, and some Jewish sects forbid cremation.
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Can you keep ashes after cremation?

Ashes have no expiry date

You can keep them in the container from the crematorium for as long as you need. You might keep them in your home forever, or you might decide to scatter or bury them at a later date.
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Do human ashes contaminate?

Ashes from a cremation simply contain harmless minerals and shouldn't harm the environment. Scattering ashes at sea has become such a common choice for cremated remains in Boston and across the country that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published guidelines to cover this activity.
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Does keeping ashes in your home more likely retain the spirit of that individual?



Do body ashes smell?

Most people who keep the ashes of a departed human or pet loved one at home say they detect no odor from the cremains. A few respondents indicated a very slight metallic odor or a very slight scent of incense. Your experience of keeping cremains at home may vary, depending on the type of container you choose.
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Which part of the body does not burn during cremation?

People are often surprised by how much cremated remains they get back after a body has been cremated. All bones are left they do not evaporate. The bones are then reduced in size to a granular consistency.
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What does God say about keeping ashes?

There is no Biblical precedent for cremation. Ultimately, it depends on the personal wishes of the deceased or, if no wishes were left, the feelings and preferences of those making decisions for their final arrangements. If you decide to cremate and scatter ashes, nothing in the Bible prohibits you from doing so.
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What happens to cremated ashes over time?

Whether you bury or display the urn that holds your loved one's ashes, you can't go wrong. The ashes will never decompose, dissolve, or fade away for as long as you will be alive.
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Who owns the ashes of a deceased person?

Who has the right to possess cremation ashes? The right to possess the ashes is likely to be “the executor*, or whoever was at the charge of the funeral” or basically the person who signed the contract with the funeral director.
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How long can I keep ashes at home?

In California, regulations require a body to be embalmed or refrigerated if final disposition will not occur within 24 hours. There is an exception for families conducting home funerals.
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Where should a urn be placed in the house?

Generally, that means in a home that faces east, northeast, southeast or southwest, the urn should be placed in a room in the northeast or northwest area of the home. Homes that face west, south, north or northwest should have urns placed in a room in the north or south area of the home.
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What are human ashes good for?

It seems logical that ashes from cremated remains would be beneficial to plants, but in truth, cremains have a high alkaline and sodium content that is anything but beneficial. Both the high pH levels and excess sodium discourage plant growth by prohibiting absorption of the essential nutrients they require.
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Is it weird to wear ashes?

To some people, it would feel weird and inappropriate to wear someone's ashes around the neck as a piece of jewelry. However, some people might be okay with it due to their religious leanings. Again, it's all about your own personal preferences and values.
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Can you mix husband and wife Ashes?

Commingled: If the couple requested their ashes to be commingled, or if the family decided that commingling was the best expression of the two people's love, then the ashes can be mixed together before in companion urns for permanent storage.
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Do bodies sit up during cremation?

Does the body sit up during cremation? Yes, this can happen. Due to the heat and the muscle tissue, the body can move as the body is broken down, although this does happen inside the coffin, so it won't be visible.
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Can dogs smell human ashes?

Human cremains have a distinct odor that trained dogs can easily identify, even in a house that has been totally destroyed by a wildfire that likely topped 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Is DNA destroyed during cremation?

DNA starts to degrade at about 800 degrees F. The heat in a cremation chamber may range from 1,400 to 1,800 degrees F. Any DNA is thus destroyed by the cremation process. With burial, you can exhume a body and still extract identifying information, even though natural decay processes are present.
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Why do they cover the legs in a casket?

They cover the legs in a casket because the deceased is not wearing shoes in many cases due to the difficulty of putting them on stiff feet. Also, funeral directors may recommend it to save money, for religious reasons, in the event of trauma, for easier transportation, or with tall bodies.
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Is it OK to split someone's ashes?

As you can see, dividing ashes after cremation is actually a fairly common practice. It can be a way to help each family member grieve, remember, and honor their loved one in a special way. It can help avoid conflict or settle disagreements. And it can simply be what the departed loved one wanted.
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Can you feel pain during cremation?

Does the body feel pain during cremation? A body is dead when cremated. Pain cannot be felt because there are no nerve impulses.
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Why is being cremated a sin?

The short answer to your question appears to be no, cremation is not a sin. That said, the biblical recordings of funerals explain that God's people were laid to rest in tombs; usually a hewn rock of some sort with a stone seal.
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Does a body get drained before cremation?

It is cleaned to remove traces of fluid or blood. The hair is washed. You complete the cause of death documentation and the body can be released for cremation or burial. Once the death has been certified, we'll go to the family's home or hospital to remove the body and bring it back to the funeral parlour.
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Does the coffin get burned with the body in a cremation?

Cremation burns the coffin along with the body

Coffins can be expensive, so some people find it surprising that they go into the cremation chamber along with the body. But it's a mark of tradition and respect to send someone to their burial or cremation in within a coffin.
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