Laws on cremains?
 

Are there laws about spreading ashes in Winnipesaukee?

How's about if the crematory ashes contain any left-over, old dental gold from the deceased's dental crowns or dental bridges? Dumping your beloved's old dental gold into Lake Winnipesaukee should probably be encouraged as a way to promote the tourist business of treasure hunting by scuba divers so they will visit the area and spread their new found Lake Winnipesaukee gold all around! .....(smile big!)

Cremains
 

I believe spreading cremains anywhere in the US is strictly forbidden. Yet many folks do it despite the law.

I believe if you keep it to yourself then why not. Spreading ashes isn't going to really do any damage to the lake. Is it?

Only if it's cigarette ashes! :eek:

I've never heard that spreading ashes was illegal. I might have to change my last wishes. Seems crazy that you can put a body and casket that will stay in the ground for who knows how long but spreading ashes that will leave no trash is forbidden?

I always thought it was illegal to put ashes in the lake. I didn't know it was to spread them on the ground in this state.

NH Law
 

Hate to rain on the parade (bad joke this week), but the cremation law in NH requires the crematory to place the cremains in a "permanent container" for final disposition. The law seems to be silent as to what the owner is to do with the cremains. In other words, silent as to what final disposition really is. Seems to anticipate burial of the cremains in the permanent container.

I fear that DES would frown on the lake being used as a final resting place, since the state owns the lake. I seem to recall that the Navy has to go outside US jurisdictional limits to bury someone at sea.

FLL, most of the time your posts make me shake my head and decide to ignore the inappropriate content. Can't do it anymore. Assuming this is a grieving family, asking a valid question about the lake, your post is not only inappropriate, but callous and in poor taste.

Did you ask the folks at the crematorium?

I just made my wife sign a promissory stating she will never say cremains in my reference.

I understand the needs of some to be "a part" of the Lake forever. Several of my relatives have been put to rest "in the lake", not my choice, but other relatives'.

For those that want to connect to the Lake, I would suggest some of the land based cemeteries that ancestors could visit in years to come when they visit the Lake. It might cost a few pennies more, but you will be there forever. In the year 2212 your ancestors can come to your gravesite and say, "there's my GGGGGreat grandmother, she really loved the lake.":)

Dad's wishes
 

He wish to have his ashes spread on the lake in front of the camp so 'That the bass can kiss my a$$!' LOL!

Remember, O man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.
-Genesis 3:19

The ashes are dust and I do not believe there will be any impact on the lake. More dust, pollen, and bio-waste are introduced into the lake naturally that a loved ones ashes would not be an impact.

The releasing of the ashes should help the spiritual healing for those left behind.

Prayers for those that pass on and if there is a law limiting the practice do it in private.

Thanks for the thread as we will all face this someday.

Cremains to cremains and dust to dust.

I admit it.........
 

We threw a handful of my first dogs ashes into the lake..........she loved it here, a swimming fool...:)

It's done everywhere everyday no way to enforce something like that and everyone knows it. Just don't announce it to the world (websites - cough,cough..) :D

The "ashes" are just crushed up bone. The flesh, organs, etc are burned off. They are not like grill or fire ashes. They would just sink to the bottom and settle into the mud and muck on the bottom. What damage could possibly be done?

I've seen a family members ashes and one of my childhood dog's ashes. They looked exactly the same.

Personally, my wishes upon death are to be cremated and put to rest in the lake.

My neighbor did just this with ashes of husband.

As a child when lake was low we used to swim out a pretty good distance to view the old wringer washing machine dumped there in the olden days. The washing machine is not too far from the old stove that was dumped there. Dumped there in the 1950's. All of those who took part and all of those who could have been witnesses to such activities are passed on now. The washing machine and stove are still there.

I wanna be mixed in with some gunpowder, and shot out of gun :look:

My plan is
 

When I die, I will donate my body to science. They will cremate the remains and return the cremains to my daughters. They will throw one heck of a celebration of life with whatever money is left from the estate with my cramains present. After that they can do whatever they want with the cremains, bury it in the family plot, spread my ashes on the lake or back in Colorado, etc.

What a way to go!

Unless something has changed since 2001, when my dad passed in NH we had half his ashes divided up into a "Permanent" container for burial on Long Island, NY and then the other half went into 2 cardboard containers for us to scatter his ashes in Great South Bay on LI where he grew up. This was done at the crematory in NH.

Just remove the tag inside the container!

Thanks to those who took this seriously. Not sure how this will all end, but, I do thank you!

From what I've been able to find there are no specific rules or laws on spreading ashes. Generally though its seems spreading on public property is not allowed but is frequently done. Pretty much a don't ask dont tell kind of thing. I can see where some people would be offended is they knew they were standing or playing amongst remains. I would however not have a problem with ash remains being scattered into the lake as almost all of it is a sand like bone and will sink right to the bottom. This should certainly be done out in the middle of the Broads in my opinion but I'm sure there are some here that would find this practice unacceptable and I'm not suggesting it should be done. If you do scatter in the lake then I would certainly stay far away from FLL's intake pipe though.:laugh:
I've wanted to be scattered on top of Cannon Mt and I really see no issue with that.

Pretty much a don't ask dont tell kind of thing.
 

Interesting thread here. I live in a town around Lake. Grew up in eastern MA.

When my father passed about 20 years ago, after the brief interment service at cemetery, sister & I decided to leave a portion of his ashes on a shore within a park, where we could see Boston skyline where he had worked and also see area of town where our childhood house was. The remaining portion in the cemetery plot next to out mother. We have no regrets.

Same day in April, we drove to the Cape Cod beach where sister's father in law had done lots of fishing; brother in law through his late dad's ashes in ocean. Both had died in mid-winter. We had waited till his grandkids were out of school. We never sought the regulations....

Clearly you only want to dump the ashes not the container so no need to remove identification. I am spreading my husband, my mother and my fathers ashes on the lake as per their requests. I am not doing the entire containers, some is spread over the ocean and some is buried in plots depending on each persons requests. I would just say go to whatever area of the lake you love take a small plastic container of the ashes you wish to spread, say a prayer and let the wind take the ashes over the lake....no one is the wiser and your loved one will forever be "one with the lake" :)

Who the person was might matter for some people also. How would you feel if a neighbor spread ashes along your property line from a relative that died in jail and was there cause he/she killed two children ten years ago. Don't know of this situation personally just saying might make some people think.

cremation
 

I will be cremated when I die, not before. I hope that my kids will take me on a boat ride on the lake and spread my ashes on where I enjoy life the most. I have even thought of buying a ticket for each one of them on the Mount and they could spread my ashes from there. For in my time I have escorted the mount into and out of Alton Bay so many times I cannot count, and I did it again a couple of weeks ago.

If I found myself in such a situation, I think I would use the ashes as a bulking material for my composting toilet. :D Like things belong together for eternity.

Rattlesnake Guy you Rock!! That is hilarious!! Also thinking maybe the forum could come up with a "hide" button like FB for people you NEVER want to see what they post.....not gonna mention any names but I think you all know........IJS

There is a metal tag in the bag in the box that the ashes come in - that is the tag we were told to remove before disposing of the ashes!

Ignore Button
 

We actually do have an ignore button, which will block all of this person's post, except when they are quoted. You can find it by going to your User CP. Very handy. ;)

For as far back as I can remember my Mom's frequently articulated wish was to have her ashes spread over the lake when she passed away. While I was growing up...the thought of this always kind of "sketched me out" but when the time came both my sister and I couldn't think of a more appropriate final resting place for her. I reneged on her request to a degree however...for I just couldn't bring myself to spreading all of her ashes....I wanted for there to be a permanent place for a portion of her ashes that I could visit from time to time (Lakeview Cemetery in Wolfeboro).

Now I remember why I never posted for 4 years. Some of you need to go back to pre-school, and learn your manners. I really don't see how any one could think that it's appropriate to make jokes about this topic.....

Maybe it's me but I only see one real inappropriate post in this whole thread. Maybe you want to direct your post to that person.

Direct from the EPA.

Thank you for your inquiry. Ashes of any type are considered a pollutant to surface waters (lakes, streams, rivers.) Scattering of ashes in or on New Hampshire lakes is not permitted.

Thank you, Ann

Ann Rodney
US EPA
5 Post Office Square - Suite 100
Mail Code - OEP-06-1
Boston, MA 02109-3912
(617) 918-1538

EPA Is that "Every Person Alive?" We are talking ashes.

Sometimes you just break the rules
 

For what it's worth, at our plant, we technically can not dump tap water from the town back down the drain as it is outside of the EPA's tight requirements for pH. When we use water in a process step, we have to fix the pH before returning it to the town with all the other water from the town's residents who don't fix the water. And prove we did it correctly.

We do not need the EPA to take a position on this issue!!!! A dead animal, fish, or plant creates more polutants than the ashes of a loved one. The ashes are sterilzed and will not support bactiera or viruses. I am sure the EPA employee from Boston lives in a city Ivory Tower and is doing her best to help but we are in NH - LIVE FREE OR DIE!

TomT - Thanks for taking the initiative to see how are tax dollars are being used!

to me it's pretty simple...just go for it and keep it to yourselves. just think of all the crap our boats (i have one too) leave behind. we all complain (myself included!!!!) when we see something delibrate harming our lake...but fire up our boats and not think twice. ashes will not harm the lake in any way. i will definately end up in The Lake

Humans make light of many topics that are sensitive at times- it is a coping mechanism. I read very little here that would be considered inappropriate.

I read somewhere... a long time ago... that human ashes were supposed to be good for the growth of plants? Anyone know if this is true?

Btw, if anyone is planning on being "spread" in the Lake, could you do something about the milfoil while you're there? Thanks! :)