Scattering of cremated remains

They burned the body, didn't they? I think since the body was burned and is nothing but ashes there would be no contamination to the sea.

I really doubt that a person's remains are going to cause any problem. They have been burned to a crisp and anything poisonous or hurtful would be burned away. The remains won't hurt anyone nor will it cause problems for the fish. Again, the body has been burned to a crisp and nothing remains but ashes.

I do not know but I think it would have been safer if his ashes were put in a box and buried. We do not know the vitality for he HIV virus whether it can survive extreme heat. You would need a medical examiner to determine that fact.

That is a very good question. I do not think it should be done myself.

I would imagine that any danger of the disease would have burned up in the fire when the body was cremated. I don't think any disease or anything could survive being burnt at high temperatures. It's kind of gross to think of anyone being spread in the sea and then eaten by the fish. I think though in the ocean there would be so much water it would be spread out so much it wouldn't be a big enough amount to matter.

There is very little left after a cremation. The ashes certainly wont contain any living organisms, so they are quite safe to dispose of where ever you like.

Personally I could see where this would be a matter of grave concern and would wonder what is the Best thing for them to do? Has anyone ever considered checking with a Doctor and such to see if this would even be safe? But it could be as the body would be burned... but still a risk factor possibly as well? What if someone caught the fish and they were contaminated somehow and it was fed to someone with a Bad illness? Would it cause them more issues as well?

I really don't think anyone's ashes should be scattered at sea. It's not good for the environment. But I undersand wanting to honor someone's last wishes.

Hi tash01, There is absolutely nothing to worry about. It is completely safe to pour the cremated remains of the poor man into the sea. There will be no contamination of the sea or any kind of cross infection whatsoever as HIV is sensitive to high temperature and studies have shown that these viruses are killed by heat over 60°C. Since the human body is incinerated at a temperature of 760 to 1150 °C, it is impossible for any HIV's to survive. The last wishes of a dying man should be fulfilled so that his soul can rest in peace.

Yeah as the others said I really do not think that there is anything to worry about when it comes to scattering them and them being contaminated. One could certainly place a call to where the remains were cremated to be sure and actually I thought in some areas it was not allowed to do. At any rate I recently discussed with my son that when I was to go to do the same with me.

I think that to make it play safe that the decision will be at the family itself. If I am one of them I wouldn't dare to throw the ashes at the sea I will suggest to buried it instead!

When a body (or anything) burned to ashes, the only thing that is left of them is a mixture of carbon and other elements. You cannot catch a disease from anything that has been burned to ashes. Fish poop is far more dangerous than human ash will ever be. Fish poop contains all sort of bacteria, viruses, and protozoa that can cause disease in humans. Since there are lots of fish in the sea, there is a lot of fish poop in the sea. The sea is incredibly dirty, and fish poop is one of the reasons you should try not drink in any seawater if you play in the ocean. Have you heard of the oil spills recently? Petroleum is a carcinogen. Mercury released by power plants and chemical plants into the ocean is also a significant health concern. In summary, please don't worry about human or pet ashes released by relatives into the ocean, a lake, or off a mountaintop. The ashes are probably much cleaner and less hazardous than any of these things.