Nationally, some funeral directors say they have in storage the cremated remains of thousands of people.
A Gisborne funeral director has the ashes of 1000 people awaiting collection, but the problem is not so large in Dunedin.
Hope and Sons Ltd managing director Michael Hope said since 1989 the company had organised 12,400 funerals, of which 9300 were cremations, but at present they only had about 200 ashes in storage.
The firm had a room at its Andersons Bay premises where the ashes were stored, and a register of what was happening with them.
The oldest ashes dated back to 1978, but they were being stored for the family.
Mr Hope said some families mistakenly thought the ashes had been buried or scattered by someone else.
Sometimes, families would only realise decades later.
Dignity Funeral Services director Phil Gowling said ashes were held for a number of years and often at a family's request.
If the ashes had not been collected after a few years, the firm would write to the family.
They had about 90 containers at present.
Gillions Funeral Services director Allan Gillions said uncollected ashes was not a major issue, although the firm had more than 90 containers at present, but most were being kept for families.
Recently, the firm held a funeral for a person whose ashes would be put with those of another family member who died 30 years ago.
The ashes had been in storage all that time.
At Campbell and Sons funeral directors, in Mosgiel, the problem was remedied by reminding people at six months, nine months and 12 months that they had ashes to collect.
Ashes not collected after a few years were handed to the Dunedin City Council, which could be more assertive in making people collect them.
Council botanic garden and cemeteries team leader Alan Matchett said usually the family or funeral director would collect ashes from the Dunedin Crematorium, at Andersons Bay Cemetery.
If the ashes were not picked up, they would be scattered at the cemetery after a few years.
Sometimes, ashes were not collected because the family had not paid the funeral director's bill, Mr Matchett said.
