Cremated remains must be buried in or on deep sea waters, provided that such burial takes place at least three nautical miles from land. A civil rental company will bring the funeral director (if it is a full funeral, you must have a licensed funeral director) and the family at sea to perform the ceremony. At Orthodox funerals, there is usually an open casket during the ceremony. At the place of the tomb there is a short prayer, after which the companions lay flowers on the coffin. A memorial service is usually held on Sunday, which is closest to the 40th day after the death. Cremation is not allowed, as bodies should be kept as much as possible at funerals in order to prepare for the general resurrection of the dead upon return. [3] Below is a list of religions that allow burial at sea, with some details about burial. If someone were budgeting for a fully planned funeral well in advance, they should consider spending at least two to three times the cost of a traditional burial with a burial at the cemetery. Even then, any legal issue that needed to be resolved with policy subdivisions such as the Department of Health could require litigation that could prove far more costly than traditional funeral expenses. Burials at sea in 2020 under the MPRSA (pdf) (75.5 KB) documents the number of burials at sea in 2020 reported to EPO regions using the Sea Funeral Notification Tool.
These burials of human remains at sea were authorized by a blanket EPA authorization under the Marine Protection, Search and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA). The general approval is published in federal regulations under 40 CFR 229.1. For information on the Funeral at Sea Declaration Tool, including instructions for reporting one or more burials at sea, see the Funeral at Sea Declaration Tool fact sheet. One of the main reasons is that people love the nautical history of burial at sea and are linked to the past through this ancient tradition. Burial at sea has been taking place for thousands of years. It originated in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, not to mention the Vikings. The simple answer is yes. However, there are many limitations and requirements, very few of which relate to maritime issues. Many county health departments do not hand over a body to a captain for burial at sea.
While this problem can probably be overcome, the cost and time spent trying to win a decision against a government agency could be depressing. Much more common than full burial of the body is the scattering of cremation ashes in open water or lowering a biodegradable urn into water. In fact, it is still possible to conduct a full burial of the body. However, there are many practical considerations when choosing this type of funeral, as the practice is highly regulated. In most cases, the relatives of the deceased hire a specialized charter company to perform this type of funeral. Like whole-body burial, dispersal at sea is subject to EPA regulations as well as state and local laws. While law enforcement tends to turn a blind eye to violations of dispersal regulations, it is always recommended to follow official guidelines, for more information to consider when scattering ashes, visit our Ash Scattering page. No.
The MPRSA General Permit only authorizes the transport of human remains. To the extent that burial would also include the disposal of unrecovered means of transport – such as balloons or rockets – the permit does not allow such disposal. For this reason, the EPA expects the conveyance for burial at sea to be a ship or aircraft returning to shore after burial. Burial at sea of cremated and cremated human remains can be reported to the EPO using the Sea Burial Tool. The Funeral at Sea Registration Tool allows individuals or companies who have performed a funeral at sea to enter information into a simple online form and report the funeral directly to the EPO. For information on the Funeral at Sea Declaration Tool, including instructions for reporting one or more burials at sea, see the Funeral at Sea Declaration Tool fact sheet. Please note that you do not need to file documents, such as a death certificate, with the EPO if you are declaring a funeral at sea. Yes. There may be cases where the dispersal of cremated human remains on the sea surface is not appropriate due to wind conditions or other reasons. In these cases, the ashes can be buried in an acceptable container at sea. The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard provide guidance on how to bury cremated remains in containers.
The container must not contain plastic of any kind, float or contribute in any way to marine litter. Ideally, the container should decompose or dissolve in the marine environment in a relatively short time. 3) The EPA must be notified within 30 days of the funeral or distribution. It depends on the laws and regulations of the other country. The MPRSA`s blanket authorization for burial at sea applies to all persons carrying U.S. human remains for burial at sea, as well as U.S.-flagged ships and aircraft, and U.S. departments, agencies, or instruments. In addition to complying with the rules and regulations of the MPRSA, the country in whose sovereign waters the funeral would take place should be contacted, and that country`s laws and regulations for burial at sea should also be followed. Some countries may prohibit offshore burials in their waters. EPA Requirements for Burial or Dispersal at Sea1) Burial or dispersal must take place at least three nautical miles from land in waters at least 600 feet deep. The depth requirement does not apply to dispersion.
2) The materials used must be biodegradable. These include flowers, wreaths and other commemorative items. 3) The EPA must be notified within 30 days of the funeral or distribution. 4) Only human remains may be buried or scattered. 5) Leftovers should not be mixed with medical waste. For more information, see the EPO`s pages on burial at sea (www.epa.gov/ocean-dumping/burial-sea ). In England, cremated remains can be dispersed freely at sea, but burial must take place in a casket that complies with legal requirements and in one of three locations: off The Needles, Isle of Wight; between Hastings and Newhaven; and off Tynemouth, North Tyneside. Permission can be obtained for another burial site. [14] Some funeral directors will organize the event, such as Britannia Shipping for Burial At Sea. [15] The Maritime Volunteer Service charity also assists with funerals at sea. [16] Sea Services receives many calls from people seeking funerals at sea without cremation.