Environmental Impact of Green Burial

Although soft tissue decomposes within six weeks, the decomposition of an unembalmed body without a casket can take up to twelve years to reach the skeletal stage. This timeline can vary based on factors such as soil composition, moisture content, and oxygen levels. If an unembalmed body is inside of a casket, decomposition can take longer due to the barrier of the casket’s materials. 

Decomposition accelerates in optimal conditions, allowing the body to reach the skeletal stage in one to two years. If the soil is fertile, it may take up to 20 years for the skeleton to fully decompose. In contrast, skeletal remains may exist indefinitely without much decay if buried in neutral soil or sand. The rate of decomposition can also be significantly slower in colder climates and may even be influenced by the depth or shallowness of the burial plot. 

Embalming and casket usage can impede decomposition in different ways. Embalming replaces bodily fluids with preservatives to delay decomposition, while caskets provide a physical barrier against decomposition agents. If a body is neither casketed nor embalmed, the body’s natural fluids are subject to decomposition and the decomposition process will increase with the body’s direct contact with the soil. The soil itself can also influence the decomposition rate. For example, acidic soil can increase the rate of decomposition.

Decomposition is a natural process, and likewise, will noticeably differ under the conditions of natural or green burial when compared to traditional burial practices. The decomposition rate of an unembalmed body without a casket can vary greatly, often depending on numerous environmental factors. Ultimately, understanding these differences can be helpful in identifying arrangements that have minimal environmental impact and further contribute to the conservation of natural resources. 

Sources

“Top 10 Real Answers to Questions Real People Ask About Green Burial”. Green Burial Council. https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/real_answers_question_about_green_burial.html 

“How Long Does it Take For a Body to Decompose Without Embalming?”. Crime Scene Clean-Up. https://crimeclean-up.com/blog/human-decomp-without-embalming 

People choose green burial for a number of reasons. Many believe that the process of embalming is unnatural and unnecessary, and reject the idea of manipulating the body after death. Most people who choose natural burial are also aware of the negative impact that conventional funeral and burial practices have on the environment and want to choose a more eco-friendly form of final disposition. Additionally, some individuals value the idea of nurturing the earth with their body after death, and the idea of natural burial closely aligns with that ideal. 

There are, however, other tangible benefits to natural burial over conventional burial in a traditional cemetery. These include:

• Natural burial has a smaller carbon footprint than conventional burial

Although it’s difficult to quantify exactly how much less energy is consumed for a natural burial vs conventional burial, if you are buried in a natural cemetery or conservation burial ground (link to new definition in list), your grave is typically dug by hand rather than by a gas-powered backhoe, and the cemetery grounds will be maintained by nature rather than lawn mowers and fertilizers. Additionally, the use of a biodegradable burial container avoids the energy-intensive processes used in the harvesting, manufacturing, and transport of hardwood or steel caskets and concrete vaults. This is especially true if you opt for a simple burial shroud made of natural cotton or silk. 

• Natural burial uses more locally sourced materials

As a rule, those who choose natural burial use more locally sourced materials, such as locally grown and harvested wood. This not only obviates the high energy costs associated with transporting materials cross-country or internationally, but also supports the local economy.  

• Natural burial protects the health of funeral workers 

Embalming fluid contains formaldehyde and benzene, both of which are known carcinogens. According to numerous studies cited by the Centers for Disease Control and the National Cancer Institute, prolonged exposure to embalming fluid puts the health of all funeral workers at risk. For example, an increasing body of evidence indicates that funeral directors and embalmers have:

• A 13% higher death rate from all causes than the general public
• A higher risk of contracting leukemia, brain cancer, and cancers of the respiratory tract, especially the nose and throat.
• A 4.5 times higher risk of dying from ALS than those whose jobs entailed no exposure to formaldehyde
  
• Natural burial protects local land, water, and wildlife

Natural cemeteries avoid the use of pesticides and fertilizers, which have the potential to contaminate surrounding groundwater and negatively impact local wildlife. Further, according to data from the Green Burial Council, chemicals leached from concrete vaults and non-biodegradable caskets have been linked to to soil and water contamination in many conventional cemeteries, while no such contamination has been reported from or near any green cemeteries in the U.S, Canada, Great Britain or Australia since their inception in 2003.

• Natural burial encourages greater family involvement

When families relinquish control of their dead to funeral homes and allow bodies to be preserved in an unnatural way, the natural connection between the living and the dead is in many ways lost. Natural burial, especially when combined with natural death care and a home funeral, allows loved ones a greater opportunity to participate in the process of saying goodbye. For example, most natural cemeteries allow the family to help dig and fill the grave and encourage them to design a graveside service that is personally meaningful to them.

Sources

“The Science Behind Green Burial”. Green Burial Council. https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/science_green_burial.html 

“Why Funeral Directors May Be At a Higher Risk for ALS”. Time. https://time.com/3956241/funeral-directors-als/ 

“Formaldehyde and Cancer Risk”. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/formaldehyde/formaldehyde-fact-sheet

The leaching of chemotherapy drugs into groundwater is highly unlikely for a few reasons. First, all medications have a terminal half-life, which determines how long it takes for the medication to deteriorate to half of its original potency. The half-life can be anywhere from minutes to days, depending on the medication. Like other drugs, chemotherapy drugs are metabolized by the body and later excreted through feces and urine, which means that further breakdown and dilution have already occurred by the time of burial. 

Additionally, soil acts as a filter when the body is buried. Soil is rich in a variety of microorganisms that will break down any remaining chemical compounds present in the body and prevent them from traveling further into the ground. There is a much greater chance of toxic chemicals leaching into groundwater when a body has been embalmed with preservatives such as formaldehyde, rather than if an unembalmed body has remnants of chemicals from medical treatments. Although the leaching of drugs from unembalmed bodies is highly unlikely, funeral homes and burial sites are still expected to demonstrate due diligence by following established protocols and regulations to ensure the protection of the environment. 

Sources

“GBC Publications”. Green Burial Council. https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/science_green_burial.html

“Do Cytotoxic Agents Impact Ground Soil or Well Water?” ONS. https://voice.ons.org/news-and-views/do-cytotoxic-agents-impact-ground-soil-or-well-water 

“Green (Natural) Burial Frequently Asked Questions”. Peaceful Passage at Home. https://peacefulpassageathome.com/green-natural-burial.html 

“Are Chemicals From Dead Bodies Oozing Into Tap Water?” Slate. https://slate.com/technology/2022/10/cemeteries-drinking-tap-water-pollution-aquifers-dead-bodies.html 

An unembalmed body will not attract wildlife if it is buried at an appropriate depth. Depth is important since it influences whether animals will be able to smell the body after it is buried. The recommended depth is at least 3.5 feet underground with a minimum soil barrier of 18 inches to prevent animals from detecting the scent. This will deter even wildlife that are most well known for extensive digging, such as wild boar, which will not dig beyond 12 inches into the ground.

Every state has its own requirements and regulations for burial depths, which apply regardless of whether the person who died was embalmed. Following these general regulations reduces the risk of graves being disrupted by animals and individuals. As an additional deterrent, adding the previously displaced soil on top of the grave doubles the protective depth of the grave until the soil naturally settles over time. 

Although many people commonly believe that animals will be attracted to natural burial sites, it is uncommon if the cemetery adheres to recommended guidelines. Without a noticeable scent, there aren’t any indicators that would attract animals to locate graves. Natural burials with unembalmed bodies have occurred throughout history, and while these cemeteries have been populated with wildlife, graves were not disturbed by the animals.

Sources

“Top 10 Real Answers to Questions Real People Ask About Green Burial”. Green Burial Council. https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/real_answers_question_about_green_burial.html 

“Guide to Green Burial – A Natural Approach to Funerals”. Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Company. https://www.lhlic.com/consumer-resources/green-burial/#animals 

“Natural Burial FAQ”. Green Burial Council. https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/green_burial_defined.html# 

“Minnesota paused ‘green burials’ because of a bitter fight over a cemetery in Carlton County. It has led to questions of religious freedom”. MinnPost. https://www.minnpost.com/greater-minnesota/2023/07/minnesota-paused-green-burials-because-of-a-bitter-fight-over-a-cemetery-in-carlton-county-it-has-led-to-questions-of-religious-freedom/ 

“Nature’s Burial – FAQ”. Nature’s Burial. https://naturesburial.org/faq 

No, says the Green Burial Council. As a body decomposes, microorganisms in the soil break down any residual chemical compounds (such as medicines and toxins created by dying cells) and remove them from the soil. Further, numerous scientific organizations have affirmed that even the bodies of people who died from highly infectious diseases pose very little risk. According to a statement by the Pan American Health Organization, 

The human body is host to many organisms, only some of which are pathogenic [capable of causing disease.]When the body dies, the environment in which pathogens live can no longer sustain them. Microorganisms involved in the decay process (putrefaction) are not pathogenic…” 

What’s more, even if a pathogen is capable of surviving outside the host, the risk of transmission to others is very small. The only exceptions to this rule are two infections, Ebola and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (spongiform encephalopathy.) The presence of either in a dead body disqualifies it for burial of any kind. 

In fact, embalmed bodies pose a far greater risk to the environment, since they are pumped full of large amounts of toxic chemicals and preservatives that are immediately released as the body begins to decompose. What’s more, the materials used in nonbiodegradable caskets can leach into soil and groundwater at an alarming rate. Metal caskets, for example, leach heavy metals such as iron, copper, lead, and zinc, especially when buried in acidic soil. And varnished, polished, or artificially sealed wooden caskets may leach arsenic and other toxins, which can accumulate in the soil and impact nearby water supplies. 

Furthermore, the 3.5-foot depth at which green cemeteries bury bodies is far above most aquifers, which are usually located about 75 feet underground. Any contaminants that accumulate beneath a decomposing body are naturally neutralized as they filter through 70 feet of microbe-rich soil. Burial sites are also set back from known water sources to ensure that no contamination of surface water takes place.

Lastly, the 3.5-4 foot depth at which bodies are buried in a natural cemetery provides more than adequate protection against smells escaping into the air above the grave. According to the Green Burial Council, a depth of just 18 – 24 inches is more than sufficient to provide a “smell barrier” that neither animal nor human noses can penetrate. Thus, there is virtually no risk that wild animals or domestic pets will dig up the grave. 

Sources

“The Science Behind Green and Conventional Burial”. Green Burial Council. https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/science_green_burial.html 

“Thousands of unexpected microbes break down our bodies after death”. Science. https://www.science.org/content/article/thousands-unexpected-microbes-break-down-our-bodies-after-death