Under the Burial Act, the basic rule is that ashes may not be left unburied or unscattered indefinitely. Within one year of cremation, the ashes must be buried or otherwise placed permanently in a single location. As an alternative to burial in a cemetery, the ashes may be, for example, scattered into a body of water or onto the ground surface, or buried in the soil either without an urn or in an ...
Submit an application to Metsähallitus.
The application must specify:
Send your application to Metsähallitus’ Registry by email to kirjaamo(at)metsa.fi or by post to:
Metsähallitus / Kirjaamo, P.O. Box 80, FI-00521 Helsinki, Finland
The conditions are laid down in the Burial Act. Placing ashes outside cemetery areas takes place under the responsibility of the person arranging the placement. The placement of ashes does not in any way restrict the landowner’s right to decide on the future use of the area. Nor does the person responsible for the placement have the right to erect memorials or other structures at the placement site or to modify the soil.
The crematorium must be informed of the final placement of the ashes. The crematorium maintains a register of the placement site. The register must also include information confirming that the landowner or landholder has granted consent for the placement of the ashes.
Hautaustoimilaki, in Finnish (the Burial Act)