Where is the final disposition of a cremated body typically carried out?

The final disposition of a cremated body is typically carried out at a crematory. A crematory is a facility specifically designed for the process of cremation, where the body is subjected to intense heat to reduce it to ashes. Once the cremation process is complete, the remains—commonly referred to as cremains—can be collected for subsequent disposition. This can include options such as scattering, interment, or storage in a columbarium.

While funeral homes often oversee the overall arrangements in the funeral process and cemeteries provide burial services, the actual act of cremation is performed at the crematory. Columbariums are structures for storing cremated remains but are not where the cremation itself occurs. Understanding the role of each of these locations is key to recognizing the crematory's central place in the cremation process.