Under the FTC funeral rule, funeral directors must provide consumers with a complete price list of all available caskets with enough information to identify each casket. The rule also says that funeral directors are prohibited from misrepresenting that any casket will delay natural decomposition. Although funeral directors may not misrepresent that embalming, caskets, or burial vaults can preserve the body for extended periods of time, they do have the obligation and the right to pass along any information contained in the manufacturer's warranty. Caskets are not required for direct cremations. If a funeral home arranges for direct cremation, they must make unfinished wood caskets or alternative containers such as cardboard trays available.
Some cemeteries have rules prohibiting the use of certain products for cremation.
The rule requires that this information be made clear to consumers. Since state law requires that the remains be held for 48 hours prior to cremation, consumers will usually make arrangements with a funeral home for storage, transportation and the necessary paperwork. As mentioned earlier, the law does not require caskets for cremations. There are no state laws pertaining to the disposition of ashes. Check with your county coroner or medical examiner regarding local requirements.