REGDOC-2.7.3 - Radiation Protection Guidelines for Safe Handling of Decedents

This document outlines when and how radiation protection principles can be applied to ensure
that doses to death-care professionals, family members and other members of the public are kept
as low as possible when coming in contact with decedents containing nuclear substances.
This document also includes guidance on how bodies containing radioactive implants can be
safely cremated. At the time of this document’s publication, most Canadian provinces and
territories do not have legislation that addresses the handling of human remains that contain
nuclear substances – with the exception of Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan. These three
provinces prohibit the cremation of bodies that contain radioactive implants (see appendix B for
relevant excerpts of provincial legislation).