A list of regulations apply to the transport of bodies by funeral directors, but there is nothing to prevent a private vehicle being used for one-off body transport. Many crematoria and cemeteries, however, will be unwilling to receive a body that has not been transported by funeral director in a hearse. This is an example of the sort of logistical difficulty that would need to be explored prior to the death if a person is attempting to manage a private funeral.
Most bodies in New South Wales are disposed of by burial (45 %) or cremation (55 %). However, there is no legislation specifying that bodies must be disposed of in this way. Approximately four burials at sea take place in Australian waters each year and several funeral directors offer this service. Some people donate their bodies to science which is regulated under the Anatomy Act. A Swedish researcher is working on a scheme to freeze-dry bodies prior to chipping and composting, so that they can be used as a garden fertiliser. There are currently no laws to prevent this, or other schemes, from being used in NSW. Presumably, the law would evolve to regulate new disposal methods if they become popular.
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