After receiving the ashes from cremation service providers in Dayton, WA, many families turn to eco-friendly, affordable ways like a water burial to honor their loved one.
An essential item for that is a biodegradable urn, a small container made of organic materials that dissolve in water and disperse the ashes and make it one with nature.
Of course, you can have a water burial without an organic urn if that’s what the family wants. But a biodegradable urn allows you to control the speed of the ashes scattering in the water.
Depending on the material, it can take minutes, hours, or days to complete the process. The delayed process is an opportunity for a memorial service to accompany the scattering.
Based on this, there are two main types of biodegradable urns: the ones designed to float for a short time and ones that dissolve immediately. Let’s take a look at some specific examples –
1. Floating Ball
As the name suggests, this type of biodegradable urn is designed to float for a good while before dissolving in water. It’s usually in the shape of a ball, and made of organic materials like paper, cardboard, and bamboo.
2. Traditional Urn
Another great choice is the traditional biodegradable urn. It looks just like a regular urn, except it’s made of natural materials and it sinks quickly before dissolving over time in the water. A traditional urn is ideal for water burials on lakes and rivers.
3. Boat Urn
Each type of biodegradable urn is designed to suit different kinds of scattering and water burials. In this case, a boat urn works if you want something akin to a Viking funeral.
The urn looks like a boat, and floats for a short while before sinking to the bottom of the water.It’s a fitting way to say goodbye to someone who spent a lot of time at sea.
4. Sand Urn
Sand urns are made out of molded sand, so they dissolve quickly in water. This makes them ideal for a short scattering ceremony.
They are also more affordable than other types of biodegradable urns, if you have a limited budget. You can even make it yourself for additional personalization.
5. Rock Salt Urn
Rock salt urns take several hours to dissolve, and often look like traditional urns. Because of the material, no two rock salt urn is exactly alike. Whichever one you get will be unique to your loved one.
And if protected from moisture, they can be keepsake urns placed on display at home. You can divide the ashes, have the water burial and store the rest.
6. Shell Urns
Shell urns are not made from actual seashells, but they look a lot like them. They are made from recycled paper, hence they float briefly before sinking into the water.
A shell urn comes in different colors and sizes, and there are keepsake versions too if you wish to keep some of the ashes.
These are some of the types of biodegradable urns you can get for your loved one’s water burial.
We help families plan scattering ceremony for their loved one, among other cremation services in Dayton, WA. If you need help arranging the water burial, call us now to speak with our funeral director about our services.
