# What's the cheapest legal way to dispose of a human body? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 30, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858 "2011-12-30T18:42:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/21 "2011-12-31T03:09:01Z")
Yes, donate it, [http://www.lifequestanatomical.com/bodydonation.php](http://www.lifequestanatomical.com/bodydonation.php) I am trying to sell my family on this. This sickly old body isn’t me. When I die, I don’t want a fortune spent on it. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/22 "2011-12-31T03:09:52Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > The estate and the family. > > I also didn’t realize potter’s fields were still in existence in this country. What did you think happened to unclaimed bodies? ---
**Author:** ![Voluble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/4af34b/32.png) [@Voluble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voluble)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/23 "2011-12-31T05:40:27Z")
At one time I think you could donate your body to Dr. Bass’ Body Farm but I am not sure if that is still the case. If you donate your organs will they bury or dispose of what is left of you in exchange? That would seem to be a net positive for all involved… assuming the donor was going to die anyway. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/24 "2011-12-31T05:52:37Z")
Something I have always wondered about: I am a single woman with absolutely NO family. Quite frankly, I don’t give a tinker’s damn what happens to my body, and there will be no one there to mourn anyway. If I don’t make any arrangements before I kick off, what will they do with my body? ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/25 "2011-12-31T09:11:35Z")
You can’t always donate your body. My uncle planned to donate his for research but he didn’t qualify. I didn’t think it’d be a great idea to ask too many questions, so it’s a little hazy. Essentially his final illness made him ‘unfit.’ Some unclaimed ashes are simply stored in the hospital where the person died, others the funeral home, some areas/states have sort of official storage facilities. Some remains are considered evidence and can be stored for decades. Where exactly depends upon circumstances and location of death. It’s been too long since my friend, whose family was in the funeral industry, explained some of it. I tend to remember the more spectacular info more clearly. Let’s just say I’m doing research, planning for contingencies, being very clear about my wishes, and opting for scattering my remains way out in the boonies. ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/26 "2011-12-31T17:53:43Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > {snip} I also didn’t realize potter’s fields were still in existence in this country. How pauper funerals/indigent burials are handled by Bexar County in Texas: [http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local\_news/article/Final-dignity-for-the-poorest-2245363.php](http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Final-dignity-for-the-poorest-2245363.php) An interesting article from October, 2000 about how Texas county governments handle indigent burials: [http://www.county.org/resources/library/county\_mag/county/125/pauper.html](http://www.county.org/resources/library/county_mag/county/125/pauper.html) ---
**Author:** ![drtj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@drtj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drtj)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/27 "2011-12-31T18:33:17Z")
When my brother-in-law died, we had him cremated. Cheapest legal option since donation wasn’t an option. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/28 "2011-12-31T18:51:54Z")
Surely this will vary widely depending not only on the laws of the particular jurisdiction where you die, as others have pointed out, but also on what environment and resources you happen to have at hand. For example, if you are (un)fortunate enough die at sea, then you’re probably not going to find a legal disposal method cheaper than burial at sea. If on the other hand you die in Fargo, burial at sea is probably going to be among the most expensive options. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/29 "2011-12-31T19:12:40Z")
I have investigated donating my own body to science (specifically, a medical school) when my time comes, but they are quite picky about what they’ll accept. You or I may think it would do medical students good to dissect a body that had some interesting malfunctions, but they don’t feel that way, and what it boils down to is that I’m going to have to die a lot healthier than I currently am for the plan to work. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/30 "2011-12-31T21:37:10Z")
Medical schools need reasonably intact, non-diseased bodies because the students are learning human anatomy. The study of diseases comes later. IIRC, “The Body Farm” in Tennessee doesn’t care about age or disease or missing parts. Their research is more forensic. Also, “Bodyworks” takes donations. They are the folks who do the traveling displays of “plasticised” anatomy. Fascinating stuff! ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/31 "2012-01-01T01:37:47Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > What did you think happened to unclaimed bodies? Incineration or dissection. Why waste money burying them? ---
**Author:** ![kim\_okla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d78d45/32.png) [@kim\_okla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kim_okla)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/32 "2012-01-01T02:46:07Z")
I assume all medical universities have a willed body program. There are some exceptions listed on the page, mainly infectious disease. AIDS, Hepatitis, mad cow?. Obesity probably due to storage purposes. Other than maybe transport by a funeral home, there’s no cost to the family. Look up a university in your area. [http://www.oumedicine.com/bodycontent.cfm?id=769](http://www.oumedicine.com/bodycontent.cfm?id=769) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/33 "2012-01-01T02:50:36Z")
I’m gonna have to look into the body farm option. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/34 "2012-01-01T12:22:55Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Serious question. Suppose one were to cook and eat the corpse, would this be illegal in most jurisdictions? Mmmmm! Cold cuts! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/35 "2012-01-01T12:43:30Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > There are still folks like me, though, who are creeped out completely by the thought of being immolated. Have you done any research on what happens to a corpse in a coffin? If you are squeamish, don’t google “coffin liquor”. [The Master Speaks](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2248/do-cemetery-plots-have-expiration-dates) on all things cemeterial. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/36 "2012-01-01T16:57:11Z")
I’d like to be left out in the woods for the various animals to consume. Come back a year or so later and pick up the bones. _“So you’ll come back in a week and find my bleached bones” “Buffy, please! It takes much more than a week to bleach bones.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/37 "2012-01-01T17:27:28Z")
I think I’d like my corpse to be launched into the Sun. ---
**Author:** ![StrangerThanFiction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f05b48/32.png) [@StrangerThanFiction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrangerThanFiction)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/38 "2012-01-01T17:48:01Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I think I’d like my corpse to be launched into the Sun. Trust me, that is _way_ harder than you’d think. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/39 "2012-01-01T17:50:06Z")
> [@StrangerThanFiction](#): > > Trust me, that is _way_ harder than you’d think. I’m sure it will be difficult – but not for me! ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858/40 "2012-01-01T19:05:39Z")
To Fear Itself: Actually, I’m not interested in a hermetically-sealed, water-tight waste-o-money casket. A cardboard refrigerator carton would suit me fine. And since I’m wanting to be buried on my own land, I won’t have any cemetery rules about concrete liners and other folderol. ~VOW [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-legal-way-to-dispose-of-a-human-body/607858.md?page=3)