Are cremation (cremains) ashes toxic?
No.
Can they be harmful in any way?
Somewhat, if concentrated amounts are placed on grass it can cause a ‘burning’, a similar effect of putting on too much fertiliser. So they need spreading out and if you are putting them in the soil you need to dig them in to prevent concentrated matter in one place. Once spread out it appears that it will have either no impact or if in significant amounts it will take on some of the properties of a limestone soil.
Also, large amounts in sensitive ecosystems such as at the top of a mountain may alter the natural ecology – so don’t choose the summit!
Cremated remains are mostly dry calcium phosphates with some minor minerals, such as salts of sodium and potassium. Sulfur and most carbon are driven off as oxidized gases during the process, although a relatively small amount of carbon may remain as carbonate. – Wikipedia
Second Reference: The analysis of burned human remains By Christopher W. Schmidt, Steve A. Symes
How many cremains to an acre would it take to become toxic to the water system? A company wants to move in next door and create a cemetery of cremains with apx. 1000 burial sites per acre in a wooded fir forest. Is this viable? It would happen over many years..
Dear Jim
I am afraid I can’t give you a definitive answer, it would depend on an number factors including: depth of burial, soil type, uptake by plants inter alia. I would expect that the local authority would have asked for a environmental impact assessment as part of the planning – this should be a public document that you could refer to.
Kind regards
Richard
Ashes contain around 1 cup of salts. Salt is not good for soil biology and tree health. Ashes also have a ph of 12/14 the same as bleach and oven cleaner.
Saying that scattering ashes isn’t as bad is like saying scattering cigarette butts isn’t as bad.
Dilution is still pollution. The science around salt and photosynthesis is established.
People that say ashes are not bad for soil biology could not possible have studied the impact of ashes on soil health.
Thank you for this, I appreciate you time and input. The question was are ashes toxic, I would stand by the argument that they are not.
It is not the same as the cigarette butt argument. Cigarette butts are man made, they don’t break down and we create the demand.
Humans live and then they die, the ashes are the bones. If a squirrel dies in a forest I doubt that there would be many bemoaning it’s bodies impact on the soil.
Yes the salts are high and this has a negative impact on soil. I have not seen evidence that puts human ashes anywhere near a ph of 14.
Humans are a natural thing, for thousands of years their bones have reintegrated back into the land. It’s like saying volcanoes are bad for air quality, true they are but they are the environment. We are the environment.
The dilution agreement is difficult and I take the point – mercury, endocrine disruptors they all still bioaccumulate. But I don’t think concrenation the source is a valid argument the other way.
Wide dispersal over wide areas seems a sensible and pragmatic approach. And I have only ever seen extreme cases where human ashes impacts the local ecosystem so greatly that it can’t support its original flora and fauna.
Would it be possible to contact Dr. Moore? I would be interested in his information. I am a geologist in the USA conducting studies on the effects of human ash on the forest floor.
I will see what I can find.
There’s a typo in your post: “so don’t chose the summit!” Should be “choose” not “chose”.
Oops thanks Mike
[…] My only beef with the programme was the chap who went on at length say how toxic cremation ashes are, whilst the programme did balance this up, those I spoke to took away the point that they ‘ [had] never realised that cremation ashes were high toxic!’, in truth they a pretty much inert. See the post: are cremation ashes toxic? […]