When the cremation services are over, you can choose to place the urn in your home, scatter the remains in a meaningful place, or place them in a columbarium. Burying the cremation remains, sometimes called ashes, in a cemetery or another location is also a common practice. The short answer is, yes, you can bury the urn.
However, this is affected by a few key factors. The location where you inter the urn holding the ashes have specific costs and certain benefits. Knowing and understanding all of these will help you make an educated decision. Let’s explore them below.
Burying an Urn in a Cemetery
A cemetery burial will give your cremation urn a permanent resting location. Anyone can visit here during Memorial Day, birthdays, or other holidays. However, choosing to inter in a cemetery will come with costs. You need to pay for a burial plot where the urn will be placed. Depending on your cemetery choice, there are quite a few plot options. It could be a full plot or a garden plot specifically for an urn. You could also have the ashes buried in an existing grave.
The latter is a choice that some married couples make because they still want to be together after their physical bodies leave the earthly world. This option may need you to have a double-depth plot so the first casket can be entombed deeper to leave sufficient space for the urn.
At times, it will even be possible to bury several urns in a full-sized, traditional single burial plot. Do keep in mind that if you choose a double-interment, whether it is with another urn or a casket, you will need to pay additional charges for opening and closing the grave. This is on top of the price of the burial plot and cemetery maintenance fees.
Burying an Urn on Private Land
Burying on private land is not an issue if you own the property. You can even bury the urn in your own backyard using a sentimental spot that holds a deep meaning for you and the deceased. You just have to remember to dig deep enough so you can completely bury the urn underneath the ground.
It is also essential to use a proper burial urn or a burial vault so the ground will not collapse in time. When this happens, there will be an unsightly depression in your garden. You can also opt to add a grave marker if you wish to be reminded of your loved one when you see it.
However, if there’s a dying wish is to bury in a sentimental location, but another party owns this land, then you will need to ask permission. It can get tricky when you have to ask corporations, such as getting buried in a stadium near your beloved’s favorite sports team. If you are denied permission, do not insist on burying or scattering the ashes because this is considered trespassing.
Burying Ashes in Public Areas
Digging up land in public areas is not permitted, so you can’t just bury an urn without proper permission and documentation. Even in public parks and wildlife, you are not allowed to do this because you need to dig pretty deep. Doing so will cause damage and disturbance to the park’s resources.
However, scattering ashes is another matter. This requires unsealing the urn to reveal the actual sandy-like particles. There are no substantive laws in Canada that pertain to scattering cremated remains. This is permitted on any public property, including waterways, and a permit is not necessary.
If you intend to scatter ashes in private property, like your favorite date place or your wedding venue, obtaining permission is still the best recourse. You must also be mindful to disperse the ashes discreetly. You have to be respectful of your surroundings and pay close attention so you do not hurt the environment.
Some opt to mix the ashes in the soil or dig a little trench to quickly embed the ashes with the earth. Those who scatter them at sea often ride a boat and release them as they traverse the waves. The only downside of this method, though it’s free, is that you have no resting place to visit.
Burying the Urn in the Columbarium
When you “bury” the urn in a columbarium, there is no actual digging involved. You inter the urn in an individual niche allotted for the deceased. This comes in specific dimensions, so do check with the facility. It would help if you had the measurements so you can purchase the correct urn that will fit in the proscribed space.
It would be prudent to ascertain if the columbarium has regulations regarding your cremation urn decor and material. Some places do not allow wooden or biodegradable urns. Placing an urn in a columbarium gives you a chance to visit your dearly departed loved one.
Final Word
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to burying the cremation urn. It will all depend on your family’s comfort based on your religious beliefs, and it could also reflect the wishes of the deceased. Keep in mind that no matter where your loved one is buried the most important thing is that this dear person will always remain in your heart forever.