Please. Stop. Spreading. Human. Ash. In. Public.

Rick Reilly humorously criticizes the growing trend of scattering human and pet ashes in public places like golf courses, Disneyland rides, beaches, and national parks. Legal, sanitary, and practical concerns make this practice an issue, as cremated remains contain fragments of bone and teeth rather than just “harmless dust.”

Stories he tells highlights the odd nature of these rituals, from a widow dividing her late husband’s ashes among national parks to a funeral expert warning about ash-related aviation hazards. Some companies even offer services to launch remains into space. One woman went as far as eating her husband’s ashes, while a golfer bribed a greenskeeper to place a friend’s remains in a hole on the course.

While honoring loved ones is important, Reilly prompts better ways to do so—by turning ashes into jewelry or using them in a Scrabble timer. Through satire, Reilly points out the impracticality and unintended consequences of public ash-scattering.

For more information see Rick Reilly “Please. Stop. Spreading. Human. Ash. In. Public.” Rick Reilly, The Washington Post, March 11, 2025. 

Special thanks to Lewis Saret (Attorney, Washington, D.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.