Md. Code Regs. 09.34.08.10

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 12, June 14, 2024

Section 09.34.08.10 - Disposition of Cremated Human Remains

A. Upon completion of the cremation, insofar as is possible:

(1) All of the recoverable residue of the cremation process shall be:

(a) Removed from the cremator:

(b) Except for medical devices remaining after cremation, processed; and

(c) Placed in a container; and

(2) The identification disc required by Health Occupations Article, § 7-411, Annotated Code of Maryland, shall be:

(a) Removed from the cremator; and

(b) Placed in the container with the cremated human remains.

B. Medical devices which remain after the completion of the cremation process shall be treated as medical waste and disposed of accordingly.

C. After pulverization, all of the processed human remains, together with the identification disc, shall be placed in a sealable container.

D. If the cremation container opening is not of adequate dimensions to accommodate an identification disc, it shall be affixed to the container and a record of the cremation number shall be place in the container.

E. If all of the processed human remains and the identification tag will not fit within the dimensions of a sealable container, the remainder of the processed human remains shall be returned to the authorizing agent, or the agent's representative, in a separate, sealable container. Container seams shall be taped.

F. If the processed human remains and identification tag do not adequately fill the container's interior dimensions, the extra space may be filled with packing material that will not become intermingled with the processed human remains and then securely closed.

G. If a sealable container containing processed human remains is to be shipped, the sealable container shall:

(1) Be placed within a separate sturdy box with all box seams securely taped closed; and

(2) Have the name of the deceased person whose processed human remains are contained therein legibly written on the outside of the container.

H. If processed human remains have been in the possession of a crematory authority, as originally authorized by the authorizing agent, without instructions for disposition, for a period of 10 days or more from the date of cremation, the crematory authority may send the processed human remains, using the current mailing standard approved by the U.S. Postal Service, to the authorizing agent.

Md. Code Regs. 09.34.08.10

Effective date: 41:6 Md. R. 378, eff.3/31/2014