Colorado Code § 12-135-307

Standards of practice - cremating
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(1) A crematory shall:
(a) Maintain a retort or crematory chamber that is operated at all times in a safe and
sanitary manner;
(b) Employ reasonable care to minimize the risk of transmitting communicable diseases
from human remains;
(c) Be equipped with instruments and supplies necessary to protect the health and safety
of the public and employees of the crematory; and
(d) Transport human remains in a safe and sanitary manner.
(2) (a) A crematory shall not cremate human remains unless the crematory has obtained
a statement containing the following from a funeral establishment, funeral director, mortuary
science practitioner, or the person with the right of final disposition:
(I) The identity of the decedent;
(II) The date of death;
(III) Authorization to cremate the human remains;
(IV) The name of the person authorizing cremation and an affidavit or other document in
compliance with article 19 of title 15 that the authorization complies with article 19 of title 15;
(V) A statement that the human remains do not contain an implanted device;
(VI) The name of the person authorized to receive the cremains;
(VII) A list of items delivered to the crematory along with the human remains;
(VIII) A statement as to whether the next of kin has made arrangements for a viewing or
service before cremation and the date and time of any viewing or service;
(IX) A copy of the disposition permit; and
(X) A signature of a representative of any funeral establishment or the next of kin
making arrangements for cremation that the representative has no actual knowledge that
contradicts any information required by this subsection (2)(a).
(b) A person who signs the statement required by subsection (2)(a) of this section shall
warrant the truthfulness of the facts contained therein. A person who signs the statement with
actual knowledge to the contrary shall be civilly liable.
(3) (a) The crematory shall hold human remains in a cremation container and shall not
remove the remains.
(b) The crematory shall cremate the human remains in a cremation container.
(c) A cremation container must:
(I) Be composed of materials suitable for cremation;
(II) Be able to be closed in order to provide a complete covering for the human remains;
(III) Be resistant to leaking or spilling;
(IV) Be rigid enough to handle with ease;
(V) Provide reasonable protection for the health and safety of crematory employees; and
(VI) Be used exclusively for the cremation of human remains.
(4) A crematory shall not cremate the human remains of more than one person within the
same cremation chamber or otherwise commingle the cremains of multiple human remains
unless the next of kin has signed a written authorization. No crematory is civilly liable for
commingling the cremains of human remains if the next of kin has signed the written
authorization.
(5) (a) A crematory shall use a tag to identify human remains and cremains. The tag
must be verified, removed, and placed near the cremation chamber control panel prior to
cremation. The tag must remain next to the cremation chamber until the cremation is complete.
(b) Upon the completion of each cremation, the cremationist shall remove all of the
recoverable residue, insofar as is practicable, of the cremation process from the crematory and
place the residue in a separate container so that the residue does not commingle with the
cremated remains of other individuals. The cremationist shall dispose of accumulated residue in
accordance with the regulations of a cemetery with a defined area to scatter remains and residue
and any applicable local ordinances. For the purposes of this subsection (5)(b), residue does not
include human ashes, bone fragments, prostheses, and disintegrated material in the chamber that
is imbedded in cracks and uneven spaces of a cremation chamber and that cannot be removed
through reasonable manual contact with sweeping or scraping equipment.
(c) The processed cremains shall be placed in a temporary container or urn. Any
cremains that do not fit within the enclosure shall be placed in a separate temporary container or
urn. Each container shall be marked with the decedent's identity and the name of the crematory.
If a temporary container is used, the crematory shall disclose that the temporary container should
not be used for permanent storage.
(d) If cremated remains are shipped, the crematory shall use a method that employs an
internal tracking system and obtains a signed receipt from the person accepting delivery.
(6) Cremains shall not be commingled with other cremains in final disposition or
scattering without written authorization from the next of kin unless the disposition or scattering
occurs within a dedicated cemetery or consecrated grounds used exclusively for those purposes.
(7) (a) A crematory shall not cremate human remains containing an implanted device. If
the funeral establishment that had control of the human remains failed to ensure that a device
was removed, the funeral establishment is responsible for removing the device.
(b) If the person authorizing cremation fails to inform the crematory of the presence of
an implanted device, the person shall be solely liable for any resulting damage to the crematory.

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