New, Greener Alternatives to Cremation and Burial

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As interest in sustainable disposition grows, enterprising individuals are creating new, greener alternatives to cremation and traditional burial. These innovative solutions dispose of dead bodies efficiently, without chemicals or materials that take up space and don’t biodegrade. Among them is a simple green burial, in which an unembalmed body is wrapped in a shroud or biodegradable coffin, buried, and left to decompose naturally. But if that isn’t cutting edge enough for you, fear not; there are other options as well.

Coeio’s Infinity Burial Suit is a full body getup embroidered with mushroom spores that grow into mushrooms that will digest your body once it’s been buried. The New England-based company Burials at Sea creates Great Burial Reefs — artificial aquatic reefs made from cremated remains and 100 percent natural, Ph-balanced concrete that they place at the bottom of the ocean. Then there’s Stardust Memorials, which sells a biodegradable shell urn for your ashes that will dissolve in water over time.

The newest option in greener alternatives to cremation is a process called “Promession.”  It’s a decomposition system that freeze-dries your body and then shakes it until it becomes dust. It’s the brainchild of Swedish marine biologist Susanne Wiigh-Wasak, who spent 20 years developing it.

Credit: promessa.se

The first step in Promession is immersing the corpse in liquid nitrogen, which makes it very brittle. A machine then shakes the body apart and dehydrates it. At the same time, a special vacuum chamber evaporates water from the now-dusty remains. A separator filters out toxins or non-biodegradable material that might harm the earth, such as mercury fillings or surgical implants. The powder that was once the body is then placed in a shallow grave, where it can mix with oxygen and water and become compost.

Unlike traditional flame-based cremation, which requires a lot of energy and produces carbon emissions, Promession is eco-friendly. Traditional cremation also releases toxins into the atmosphere, as mercury from dental amalgam and medical implants are not vaporized or removed before the body is burned. So if you are looking for a truly greener alternative to cremation or burial, Promessa may be your best bet.