Final Disposition

• Once cremated, in Colorado the state has no control over the ashes.Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
  
  The Colorado Department of Health considers cremation the "final disposition" of remains. Once cremated, the state has no further control over the ashes. The disposition of the ashes is controlled by families or those appointed to deal with them; however, it is important to check on all local ordinances or regulations concerning the disposition of cremated human remains.
  
  

Responsibility for Remains

• Whoever takes charge of the body for cremation is responsibily for the paperwork.PhotoObjects.net/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
  
  Colorado law does not require a funeral director be in charge; however, whoever takes charge of the body for cremation is responsible to complete the process to acquire the medical certification and death certificate, and handle filing the documents with the county registrar or clerk responsible for tracking deaths.
  
  

Embalming and Transporting

• Colorado requires certain procedures when transporting or storing a body.Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
  
  In Colorado, a body slated for cremation does not have to be embalmed so long as it is cremated within 24 hours or is properly refrigerated prior to cremation. While a casket is not required for remains that are to be cremated, Colorado law does require that the remains be transported in a "tightly sealed container that will prevent the leakage of fluids or odor."
  
  

Scattering Remains

• The Forest Service has a "don't ask, don't tell" policy on private citizens scattering ashes.Zedcor Wholly Owned/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
  
  Environmentally, human remains are purified once they have been cremated at high temperature and do not pose any kind of environmental threat. The U.S. Forest Service, in what the New York Times calls a "don't ask, don't tell" policy, neither prohibits nor permits private citizens from scattering human remains on public lands under their jurisdiction. The Forest Service, which controls a great deal of Colorado land, does prohibit commercial enterprises from scattering ashes.
  
  

Scattering Services

• Aerial services are popular in Colorado for scattering ashes.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  Having ashes scattered by airplane is popular in Colorado and is far less expensive than traditional funerals. The Rocky Mountains remain a popular destination for scattering ashes, and planes have the singular ability to reach remote and beautiful areas where the ashes can be scattered and allowed to float to the ground and become part of the earth. Family members are not allowed to accompany the pilot; however, some pilots document the event on digital cameras with a date and time stamp. Some aerial services encourage families to drive to the area where the ashes are to be scattered and watch the plane as it flies over the area.