Biodegradable Urn Tested
Last Thursday we tested a biodegradable urn for cremated remains that is suitable for resting ashes in a grave, at sea, in rivers or lakes.
They’re made of responsibly sourced, handmade paper and the ashes are contained inside in a strong yet water soluble bag.
The manufacturer claims that it floats for a little while before gracefully sinking to the sea bed or river bed, breaking down naturally leaving the ashes resting there. The amount of time taken to sink depends on the weight of the contents or the sea conditions.
The ashes safe in the bag inside the paper outer but as soon as it meets the water it dissolves and releases the ashes.
I wanted to see how the bag dissolved, so I tested it at home with some stones and was surprised at how well it broke down! We took the small version of the paper container to the beach and placed it in the waves to see how it reacted. We put some sand inside it to simulate the weight of a small amount of ashes. It floated for a second, got moved around in the waves for a second and went to the bottom and as it softened in the water the sand was released.
I grabbed it after a minute or two to see what was happening with the breakdown, and it was well on it’s way to falling apart, but no doubt with movement on the sea bed at depth or the rough edges of rocks it would breakdown completely in no time.
I would say that this is a great solution to resting ashes in deeper water like out at sea or maybe from cliffs where the tide is high at the base of the cliffs for an hour or two. Deep rivers and lakes would also be fine. But maybe not in shallow water or in the surf like I did.
The water soluble bags are an excellent solution in all scenarios though, an especially good solution in our Cornish winds!
All in all, a pretty and delicate/discreet way to rest ashes in water, with a more affordable price tag compared to some other salt/cellulose urns on the market, that also looks equally as nice at home before you are ready to rest the ashes.
They are available in a range of different colours and sizes including the mini size that we tested. A really useful size for resting a smaller token amount or maybe even fitting into hand luggage for travelling to rest ashes in foreign waters.
If you think these are something you may be interested in, please do let us know and we’ll be happy to help you. We can also help to arrange resting ashes out at sea if you so wish.
01637 851199
