Before we begin, some people ask, “is it illegal to open an urn?” We can assure you that it is perfectly legal to open an urn. Cremated remains are considered sterile.
However, in most cases, funeral providers will keep the ashes within a plastic bag if possible. Additionally, most will not seal the urn permanently. This is often the preferred option because it makes it easier for families to transfer ashes if need be.
Ceramic, Metal, or Glass Urns
If it doesn't come off with slight pressure on the lid, soak a cotton swab in acetone or epoxy solvent and run it along the seal. Repeat as needed. Note, a rubber mallet can also be used to help loosen the lid. Lay a cloth atop the lid and lightly tap the lid to help loosen the sealed urn.
Do I need to seal the cremation urn? Sealing the cremation urn is a personal decision and there are no rules that say that you have to seal the urn or that you don't have to seal the cremation urn for ashes.
In most cases, for example, your loved one's ashes are inside a plastic bag, which is inside the temporary urn. As a result, transferring the ashes from one vessel to another is as simple as moving a plastic bag from one box to another.
Yes, it is generally okay to open an urn. Most say that cremated remains are sterile, so you shouldn't have to worry about your health or safety from opening an urn. There are no legal reasons why an urn can't be opened either unless there is a question of who legally owns the cremains.
A common question that we find in the cremation diamond industry is do ashes have an expiration date? The short answer is they don't; at least not in our lifetime. It would take around one million years for ashes to dissolve since they are made solely of inorganic material.
Before we begin, some people ask, “is it illegal to open an urn?” We can assure you that it is perfectly legal to open an urn. Cremated remains are considered sterile.
DO NOT leave the urn switched on overnight if it is not in use. It wastes energy and the urn could boil dry, which can damage the element. DO NOT operate the urn without the lid securely fastened. If the urn boils dry, it is equipped with a cut-off switch.
Cremains contain what is known as rest energy, sometimes referred to as free or dormant energy. This type of energy is still subject to the restraints of natural law, and can have no physical or spiritual impact on those around it.
Repurpose it
One obvious option is to simply reuse the urn. In other words, you can use it again the next time a loved one passes away and is cremated. It can become a family tradition to use a special urn to store the ashes ahead of finally scattering them after a memorial service.
Firstly, place a large sheet of paper on a flat surface just in case you spill some of the ashes, this will make things easier to return them to the urn or the ashes bag. You can funnel the ashes directly into the urn, alternatively you can put the ash bag containing the ashes into the urn.
Of course, you can use any urn you like, but ceramic urns can break, wood urns need the screws holding in the base removed, etc.
Can you touch human ashes? Human ashes can get stuck to your skin quite easily, so it's best to avoid touching them as much as possible. If you need to pour the ashes into a scattering tube or urn, it's worth wearing gloves and using a spoon to scoop them out.
Is it OK to Keep Cremains 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.
The ashes should be in an air-tight non-metallic container – ideally just keep them in the container you received from the crematorium. If you plan to put them in an urn, then bring the urn separately for the journey, as some urns are difficult to x-ray and may not pass through security screening if they contain ashes.
The most common question that people have is whether ashes are safe to touch. The simple answer is yes, but it is still important to know what comprises ashes so that you know what exactly you are coming in contact with. Traditional flame-based cremation produces a pale, gray powder that contains bone fragments.
Although not always necessary, scattering urns are available to use during a ceremony before releasing the remains into nature. It is perfectly acceptable to keep a portion of ashes separately in a keepsake urn or ash pendant. Simply remove that portion before scattering the rest.
According to experts, cremains in the ground will generally stay as they are for decades. While they can technically biodegrade, it's a prolonged process. For example, it could take years before they mix with the soil in a garden.
Can You Get DNA From Cremated Remains? Yes. DNA testing is often done on the bodies of the dead, even after they've been cremated. The immense heat of the cremation ovens breaks down the body's organic matter, leaving bone fragments and teeth behind as they don't disintegrate during the cremation process.
The average amount of ash left over after the cremation of an adult is about 3 to 3.5 liters or 183 to 213 cubic inches. For a child this will be 0.8 to 2 liters or 54 to 122 cubic inches and for a (premature) baby 0.3 to 0.7 liters or 18 to 43 cubic inches. Your crematorium will always know the exact volume.
That vault is buried in the ground. Because the earth remains relatively cool, and due to the protective urn and vault, heat will have little effect on the ashes inside. Moisture can and will get in, which over time will cause the urn and vault to deteriorate and the remains to harden.
Burial without an urn: You can bury the remains directly into the ground without using an urn. Options are essentially the same as scattering; the only difference is that you are placing the ashes directly into the earth.
In the Bible, there are no passages that prohibit or encourage cremation and scattering of ashes. However, many Christian sects believe a burial funeral aligns with best end-of-life practices.
Your loved one's ashes don't have to stay together either. Families can choose to split the ashes of the deceased among the wider family, where the individual families can choose what they want to do with them.