It’s National Thank A Mail Carrier Day! ⚱️📦📫

Did you know that the United States Postal Service is the only (US) shipping company that ships cremated remains???

Urns can be mailed domestically or internationally, as long as the correct packaging requirements are followed. Basically, take extra precautions to ensure there’s no urn breakage or potential for “loose powder to leak or sift out.”

Use lots of fail safes, like including the destination address and name of deceased in multiple places in case a label falls off or gets damaged. Use a USPS provided shipping box and stickers for extra convenience and to increase visibility.

Be sure to follow your local and/or international laws and restrictions on transporting cremated remains (like including necessary documentation). Your funeral director can assist you with all of the above.

Definitely thank your mail carrier for delivering urns - they’re very heavy!

#HisAndHearsePress #USPS #USPostalService #NationalThankAMailCarrierDay #PostOffice #Urn #CrematedRemains #Cremains #Funeral

#FuneralFactFriday: Cremated remains aren't "ashes" (plus, how much do you get?)

Cremated Remains = mostly bone fragments, plus some ash from the cremation container and trace particles of brick from the chamber. The fragments are pulverized in an industrial blender (called a cremulator) into a coarse, sand-like consistency. Surgical implants, like hip replacements, are pulled out of the fragments before processing and are usually collected for recycling.

General Guideline: One pound of pre-cremation weight yields approximately one cubic inch of cremated remains. A 150 lb. person = 150 cu. in., now weighing about 4-9 lbs. This varies slightly based on height, bone density, and whether the person was cremated in a cardboard container or a solid wood casket.

This information is critically important if you're shopping for an urn online! If you order one that's too small, the crematory must attach the excess in a cardboard or plastic urn and include it with the chosen urn. An average urn should hold about 200 cubic inches. Watch out for "keepsake" urns which are designed to only hold a token amount (usually 3-20 cu. in.).

Bonus fun fact: the alkaline hydrolysis method (AKA water cremation) yields approximately 20-30% more cremated remains than flame cremation! The process is gentler, so more of the delicate bone matrix is preserved. It's not lost to the air currents.

#HisAndHearsePress #Cremation #CrematedRemains #Cremains #Ashes #Urn #Crematory #Funeral #Death #FunFacts #WaterCremation #Aquamation #Resomation #AlkalineHydrolysis