Are Cremation Services Good for The Environment?

July 25, 2022

Everyone is working hard these days to do better for our environment. Are cremation services better for the environment than other body disposition methods?

As our planet continues to suffer from potentially permanent damage and serious climate change, many people are beginning to take doing their part very seriously. A posthumous, non-traditional way to help the environment is through cremation services in Plant City, FL . A lot of people never even think about burials’ environmental impact, but a few small changes to your cremation service can go a long way.
Cremation has a lot of positive sides over traditional burials. One of the main ones is environmental impact. Traditional, full-service burials have considerable negative impact on the environment. One big example is loss of habitat. A recent statistic from the Centre for National Burial states that 10 acres of cemetery holds almost 20,000 tons of vault concrete, 1000 tons of casket steal, and enough wood to build over 40 full-sized homes. All that material leaves little room for animal and plant life. On the whole, thanks to modern advances, cremation is a greener choice. However, there are some downsides to cremation in terms of the environment. Standard crematoriums burn a lot of natural gas, and therefore release lots of greenhouse gases and chemical vapors that can harm the atmosphere.
Also, to fully dehydrate a human body to bone and ash, a crematorium has to be fully heated to at least 1400 degrees Fahrenheit, and maintain the heat for a minimum of 45 minutes. This process releases a lot of carbon dioxide, and uses up a lot of fossil fuel. But, new technology and more fuel-efficient crematorium centers have greatly reduced these negative impacts.
There are ways you personally can make cremation even greener. Some of these include:
Consider a biodegradable urn. Many people chose to bury their loved one’s ashes after cremation. While urns and ashes take up less space than a full-size grave, urns slow down the decay process and may negatively impact the surrounding earth. Choose a biodegradable urn to better protect the local ground.
Recycle medical materials. Remove and recycle medical devices and parts, like pacemakers, before cremation. Burning said parts can release harmful gases and produce non-biodegradable ash.
Choose the casket carefully. Cremation providers generally require bodies to be in a rigid, consumable, and leak-proof casket for the cremation process. Burning these caskets can give off noxious gases and fumes if you chose a bad one. When picking out your cremation casket, look for one made of non-toxic and renewable material. Wicker and cardboard are great options.

Be careful to remain aware of your options when it comes to Plant City, FL, cremation services so you can do your best to be as green as possible. If you want to learn more about how to make cremations greener, contact us today. We have years of industry experience that we would love to put at your disposal. Please pay us a visit or give us a call to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss or preplanning .