3 Things About Cremation Ashes You Might Not Already Know

When you plan cremation services with a Gilbert, AZ funeral home, you and yours will decide on the specific package and choose an urn for the ashes. But have you stopped to think about how much you do or don’t know about the cremated remains of the deceased?

Here’s a look at 3 things about cremation ashes that you may not actually know.

1. Ashes Aren’t Really Ashes After All

Yes, you read that correctly. Cremation ashes aren’t truly ashes at all. During the cremation process, the body of the deceased is placed into the cremation chamber. After this step is completed, the funeral home will place the remains, including teeth and pieces of bone, into a machine that will grind everything down. What remains will be a greyish-colored substance with the texture of sand – not ashes. So while you can use the term “ashes” without raising any eyebrows, the correct term is cremains, which is short for cremated remains. But, again, the funeral director who helps you will understand you just fine if you choose to call the remains ashes. They will likely use the term as well since it’s simply a common term.

2. Ashes Pose Zero Health Risks

Whether you know it or not, there aren’t any health concerns associated with ashes. That’s an important fact to know, of course, since you may wish to scatter the ashes of a loved one. It’s best to check with the funeral home you deal with to find out if there are areas you shouldn’t scatter the ashes. You definitely should never scatter the ashes on someone else’s property unless you have their permission to do so. But, otherwise, there aren’t a lot of restrictions.

3. Ashes Pose No Risks to the Environment

Cremation ashes are not an environmental issue either. While there are some places where you should not scatter the ashes, this has nothing to do with any risks associated with them. It’s generally a good idea to not scatter the ashes too close to where other people can access them. So if you’re scattering the ashes on a body of water, don’t do so too close to the shore. Otherwise, the ashes might make their way back to shore where unsuspecting people might come into contact with them. That would not be considerate of other people who have a right to access the area.

Are you interested in finding a provider of affordable cremation services in Gilbert, AZ? We’re a full-service funeral home dedicated to helping people to plan and to preplan. Ask us about our direct cremation and cremation with a service packages. Our direct cremation offering is the most cost-effective option in and around the area, and we also own our own crematory. For the help you need, give us a call to speak with our funeral director or to other members of our staff. We’ll answer your questions, help you plan final services for a loved one, and even help you preplan a body disposition for yourself. Let us know how we can help.