Frequently Asked Questions
General
Yes, green burial is legal in all 50 states. In no state is green burial explicitly illegal. However, every state has their own laws regulating this and there may be limits to green burial depending on your location. Examples of limits;
1. Embalming: Rare state laws either require embalming within a defined time period or when crossing state lines. Typically this time period between death and the need for “preservation” is between 24-72hrs. Meaning, the human body needs to be “preserved” within this time. States commonly have alternative preservation methods defined, such as cooling the body at a consistent temperature. Cooling methods such as refrigeration, using different forms of ice, or room temperatures are common acceptable forms of “preservation”. Also, Alabama requires embalming when crossing state lines.
2. Local Rules: Cemeteries and Funeral Homes often site internal rules as limits to green burial. Cemeteries may require a vault for burial on their land. Rural cemeteries commonly have fewer rules (i.e. they don’t require vaults). Urban cemeteries commonly have more strict rules, which require vaults. Funeral Homes may require embalming for a public visitation. However, embalming should never be required for private family visitations or for identification purposes. Note: There is no law requiring embalming for viewing or requiring a vault for burial. If you are limited by a particular facility, you can choose to ask for accommodations or use a different facility. To learn more about state by state requirements, go to Legal Requirements by State.
Green burials eliminate harmful chemicals, use less energy and fewer resources, and contribute to habitat preservation and ecosystem restoration. Moreover, green burials offer more opportunity for family, community, and cultural involvement. [Science of Green and Conventional Burial]
“Green burial” is an industry and market term for a form of burial that has essentially been known for all time. Many cultures have practiced this form of burial with no need to call it “green”, it’s just burial. For example Jewish, Muslim, and Bahai communities all have forms of mutual aid at death which include washing the body without embalming, shrouding the body, and burial directly in the ground within 24 hours, often connected to rituals, ceremonies, and literature that has symbolic meaning for the particular community. For more, watch “Green Burial and Faith Communities”
Costs for green burial can be less, the same, or more than conventional options, depending on the merchandise and services chosen. Some cost may be avoided by not choosing embalming, vaults, and costly caskets. Depending on your state, you can legally choose to take on certain aspects of the funeral such as filing the paperwork, transportation, and performing services. [See National Home Funeral Alliance page] Green funeral services can be comparable to conventional funeral services in cost depending on the operating costs and policies of individual providers.
Funerals that combine conventional funeral practices with home funeral and/or green burial practices; may include the use of a funeral director for certain aspects of care, such as obtaining, completing and filing paperwork or transporting the body. Families may have a home funeral without having a green burial and visa versa. Blended funerals offer families more options, especially when certain options are not available in their area. Most GBC-approved funeral homes accommodate families wanting home funerals.
Home funerals, which allow for families to care for a decedent and all aspects of a funeral at home, were quite common in the US up until the 1930s. Home funerals find family and friends, next of kin, or a legally designated agent retaining custody and control of the body for the time period between death and disposition (burial or cremation). This is sometimes referred to as home vigil or DIY funeral. A home funeral involves bathing and dressing the body and using dry ice, Techni-ice, or other cooling mechanism as a preservative; it commonly lasts 1-3 days. A home funeral guide may provide education and support either prior to or during this time period. It's important to care for the body using these techniques prior to burial. For more information, go to the National Home Funeral Alliance.
The Green Burial Council keeps a glossary of terms that are helpful to know when navigating the green burial movement. This is periodically updated and can be accessed here [Glossary]
A home burial is exactly what it sounds like—a burial on a family's property. Home burials are legal in all but Arkansas, California, Indiana, Louisiana, Washington state, and the District of Columbia, with some states stating that burials must be in established cemeteries; however, one can establish a family cemetery on one's own property by following state and local regulations and/or filing for a special exception in all of these restrictive states except DC. Burial in a family cemetery on private property is limited to family members only. To learn more about state by state requirements, go to Legal Requirements by State.
Body Care
No, alternative methods of preservation, such as cooling, can be used effectively and legally to prolong the time between death and disposition in most cases. Depending on the case, these methods can be used to extend the time between death and burial by as much as a week, but 48-72 hours is the typical time recommended between death and burial without embalming. To learn more about the law regulating this, go to Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice and to learn about state by state requirements, go to Legal Requirements by State.
The GBC does not think any end-of-life ritual, form of disposition, or mode of post-mortem preparation is "wrong". We are simply advocating for green services and products that help to minimize the environmental impact of our last acts. Embalming fluid is usually comprised of the carcinogen chemical formaldehyde, which has been proven to pose health risks in funeral homes. A study by the National Cancer Institute released in late 2009 revealed that funeral directors have a much higher incidence of myeloid leukemia. Another study completed in 2015 by the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry indicates a three times higher incidence of ALS, Lou Gherig's Disease, than in the general public. The National Funeral Directors Association recently published NFDA Environmental Compliance officer Carol Lynn Green's opinion piece Excising a Health Risk where she predicts the end to embalming for safety reasons.
The GBC encourages avoiding embalming altogether or opting for biodegradable, non-toxic alternatives. Fortunately, there are now several formaldehyde-free embalming fluids, including one made entirely of nontoxic and biodegradable essential oils, which recently earned the GBC seal of approval. The sanitation and preservation of a decedent can almost always take place without the use of chemicals, as is done in just about every nation in the world. To find a green embalmer, go to [Funeral Home] providers to locate a certified funeral home near you, or go to our [Body Care Products] page to learn about products certified for this purpose by the GBC.
The GBC requires that funeral homes offer body care options that exclude embalming. These alternative preservation methods should be presented on all marketing materials in an equitable manner to conventional methods. Even in traumatic cases, there are alternatives to embalming. If embalming is recommended by a provider, only GBC-approved, non-toxic embalming fluids may be used. Discuss body care options with your provider and know that the final decision belongs to the legally authorized agent of the decedent, not the provider. The funeral home is required to get explicit verbal and written permission from the legal representative of the deceased if any embalming or other restorative work is to be performed.
Coordination with a green cemetery's policies may also need consideration. Some cemeteries may not accept a body for burial if there are visible signs of fluids. This helps protect the cemetery workers that may be involved in the burial.
Funeral homes often require signed waivers from families and provide education to reduce risk and surprises when viewing a body in bad condition.
Products
The GBC believes a casket, urn, or shroud is suitable for a green burial if it is made from materials and substances that are nontoxic and readily biodegradable. We also require that these products not be made from materials that are harvested in a manner that unnecessarily destroys habitat. To learn more, see our [Certification Standards]. See [Product Providers] before purchasing any green funeral product.
Cremated remains contain extremely high pH (estimated 200x — 2000x too sweet) and sodium levels that are far too high for most plants. In order to completely break down the calcium phosphate and sodium that is the pulverized residue left after flame cremation, something must be incorporated into them to correct imbalances and nourish plant life. This organic mixture, developed by former funeral director Bob Jenkins and his research team of forensic anthropologists, taphonomists, and entomologists, biologists, and other scientists over several years, has been scientifically proven to foster healthy plant life by lowering the pH and diluting the sodium in testing by independent labs. Verde Products, Inc., sells various Let Your Love Grow products to industry agents and the public in the US and internationally. Read their article Why Burying Ashes is Harmful to the Environment/Let Your Love Grow for more information.
Yes! Using DIY and local goods is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment. If you or someone you know wants to create a product, ask your providers questions about their function, size, and other requirements. (ex. You want to make sure it can be easily carried- has handles- and that it fits in the burial space or in your chosen transportation.) Also, read about our product standards so you know how to protect the environment in the creation of your product [Certification Standards]. For handmade products by local artists, visit the Funeral Artisans Collective. The funeral provider cannot refuse to use or handle a product that you provide or get from another supplier. However, you do want to ensure that the product is durable and appropriate for its function. To learn more about the law regulating this, go to Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice.
“Vaults” are containers, often required by a cemetery, that contain the casket or burial container. Basically, it’s a container for the container. Today, the primary use of a vault is to make cemetery maintenance more efficient- they bear the weight of the ground, allow for more closely placed graves, and prevent the grave from settling over time. However, these products are made of materials like concrete (most common), plastic, and precious metals (ex. Bronze, copper, and stainless steel). By not using a vault, we are reducing the use of valuable resources, which are used in this single use product, and avoid the harms on the environment as a result of making these products.
A grave liner covers the sides and top of the casket where a vault is significantly more substantial, acting as a box for the box. Both are classified as outer burial containers. Neither is required by law, though cemeteries often require them to avoid grave subsidence. Neither is permitted in a green burial cemetery of any kind, as they both impede natural decomposition and introduce non-biodegradable materials into the earth.
Concrete and metal burial vaults are energy-intensive to produce and generate significant carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, a major greenhouse gas. In fact, concrete alone accounts for 4–8% of global CO2 emissions—making it one of the largest contributors after coal, oil, and gas. This makes vaults incompatible with green burial principles.
Even when a concrete vault is inverted (a process known as "butterdishing") to allow the body to contact the ground for natural decomposition, the environmental impact remains unchanged, as the CO2 emissions from producing the vault are still present.
Cemeteries
Though vaults are not permitted in a green burial cemetery of any kind, in an instance where someone wants to be buried in a cemetery that requires a vault, compromises must be made, such as using a vault that allows the elements in (“basic rough box”) or using a vault that allows the body to be in contact with the soil (“air seal vault” or “butterdishing”), but these options are not considered a truly green burial.
Families are asked to sign a contract stating that they understand that their family member will not be disinterred unless legally ordered to do so by the State, and that the family will be responsible for any costs not born by the State should this be ordered. Good records and physical indicators of the perimeter are critical, though the shorter burial depth and proper preparation of the grave with evergreen boughs, compost, or other organic material may provide a soil roadmap.
All cemeteries have different policies concerning grave markers, including GBC certified cemeteries. If markers are used in green cemeteries, the GBC recommends markers that forgo concrete foundations and are made of sustainable materials and/or minimally impede the native habitats. Common markers include GPS systems and coordinates, flat native stones, metal stakes(to allow metal detectors to locate the perimeter of the grave), mapping coordinates, or natural plantings. Upright monuments are typically not found in green cemeteries. Some cemeteries choose to have no physical markers yet include the person’s name and dates on a central cenotaph at the entrance. Some cemeteries allow installation art pieces situated throughout the cemetery.
No. Every state has their own regulations regarding burial depth, but most require at least 2 feet of soil above the burial container. This means graves are dug to about 3.5 feet and covered with at least 18 inches of soil, forming a “smell barrier.” Wildlife is more interested in live prey or more accessible food sources. Humans have a relatively poor sense of smell, and if animals can't detect buried bodies, neither can we.
No. Potable water is typically 75 feet below the surface. At 3.5 feet, burials do not pose a risk. Setbacks from water sources provide further protection. (See The Science Behind Green Burial)
No. Soil acts as a natural filter, binding and breaking down residual compounds. Microorganisms in the soil decompose organic matter, minimizing environmental impact. (See The Science Behind Green Burial)
Generally speaking, we do not know of a natural burial ground that has turned away an individual for titanium hip replacements etc. It isn't best practice nor common practice to turn away a natural burial because of this (though not impossible). The majority of providers are more concerned with industry-wide waste from conventional burial (metal caskets, concrete vaults, formaldehyde etc.) not the minutiae of metal prosthetics or medical devices.
Burial density depends primarily on the type of cemetery and its space availability, and on the amount of burial land on the property that is usable. Wetlands, steep slopes, animal game trails and habitat, pristine areas, protected and sensitive flora areas, trees, boulders, and other factors mapped out during a Natural Resources Inventory will affect the total acreage practical for burial. Areas slated for restoration are also going to be off the table, at least for some period of time. Originally 20' x 20' for a gravesite was thought to be a reasonable guideline, but as we have had more experience we've realized that footage can be significantly smaller, more in the range of 8-9' x 4'. Time is the second major factor. Somewhere in the region of 300 burials per open and unimpeded acre over a hundred year period would be the maximum; but more reasonably, it would be much less given the above considerations. The bottom line is that the land will determine the density on your specific property.
Burial depth differs by state. For a comprehensive list by state of this and other requirements, go to Legal Requirements by State. As a general rule, the ideal burial depth for optimal decomposition conditions is 3.5 – 4 feet from the bottom of the grave to the soil horizon, which also guarantees an 18-24 inch smell barrier that prevents animals, two and four legged both, from being able to smell anything. By adding the displaced soil to the top of the grave in a mound, that depth is doubled until it gradually settles.
Yes. With ground prep (e.g. thermal blankets, coal fire, use of heaters, thermal blankets or straw) and snow removal, winter burial is possible. Often digging graves ahead of time and filling them with straw, compost, or other organic material and then capping it for easy removal at need works well. If not, bodies may be stored in cool places (mausoleum, below grade facility, or other means of consistent cool temperatures) until spring.
Many cemeteries have a vehicle for moving shrouded and casketed bodies, including retrofitted golf carts, wagons, trailers, or other wheeled conveyances. Some families choose to conduct a processional with pall bearers, either on shoulder for a casket or with carrying handles on a shrouding board for shroud burials. (See Opening, Closing and Maintenance of a Green Burial Grave)
This depends on how the individual cemetery chooses to handle family participation and what mechanical devices are available. Some cemeteries continue to use excavators for digging and hydraulic machinery for lowering, while others pay employees to hand dig graves and allow the family, with direction if necessary, to lower the body themselves using shrouding boards, straps, or ropes. Sometimes family members wish to dig the grave themselves. Green burial operators should expect more family participation and be prepared with appropriate equipment—and liability waiver agreements built into their contract for services. (See Opening, Closing and Maintenance of a Green Burial Grave)
There are no laws against reusing a plot. Sometimes called “serial burial” or "succession burial”, in many countries graves are routinely “rented” and refilled at a later date, often removing the bones to an ossuary. Green burial cemeteries have the ability to reuse ground space in the future if desired.
Green Burial Alternatives
Cremation, Aquamation (Alkaline Hydrolysis, Water Cremation…), and Human Composting (Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) are some examples of reduction processes engineered to mimic or speed up the processes that occur naturally after death with non-renewable resources and some negative environmental impacts. In other words: while green burial prioritizes whole-body remains to decompose in the earth with minimal interference, the above processes aim to reduce the size of remains while prioritizing different aims (e.g. accelerated decomposition).
The Green Burial Council (GBC) frequently receives inquiries about funerary practices and products that fall outside the scope of traditional green burial. While our primary mission is to ensure the integrity of providers offering certified green burial services and products, we recognize the growing interest in alternative disposition methods.
We believe natural burial is the most time-tested, respectful, and environmentally efficient method of body disposition. We support scientifically validated products and processes that enhance or support natural decomposition, environmental sustainability, and cultural relevance. While we do not certify products or processes outside of our established categories and therefore cannot formally endorse them, we are committed to providing information and guidance to help individuals make informed decisions about sustainable and meaningful end-of-life options.
Not only can these processes be harmful to the environment, these processes create questions around space and memorialization. In natural burial, the survivors have a particular space, or piece of land, that can be visited and honored. These reduction options leave the survivors with a “product” (i.e. cremated remains, “ashes”, compost). Where do these products go? Consider this: by not taking up land in death, we are allowing those spaces to be controlled by others in the future, potentially for development and not for the protection of vital natural resources. By taking up space in death via a natural burial, you would be protecting valuable land for future inhabitants and environmental health.
Natural Organic Reduction, or human composting, relies on natural processes that assist the body in decomposing aerobically and efficiently. The above-ground process requires state approval. To date [September 2023], seven states have made NOR legal, including WA, OR, CA, CO, NV, VT, NY (in 2025). It is currently available in two states.
The state of Washington passed legislation to change the definition of cremation in the spring of 2019 to legalize the process, based on research conducted by Recompose innovator Katrina Spade with several research teams, including Dr. Lynn Carpenter Boggs, Professor of Sustainable and Organic Agriculture at Washington State University. Also in Washington State, Walt Patrick of Herland Forest Burial Ground has been engineering an above-ground composting system called Natural Organic Reduction. For more about the project, read Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust, OR in Washington You Could Now Be Compost by Adeel Hassan, New York Times, 5.22.19.
Concerns have been raised by the conservation community regarding the carbon footprint of materials, storage and processing costs, and the disposal of roughly one cubic yard per person (1,685 lbs. or 3/4 of a ton), of what has the consistency and makeup of mulch. Read this white paper Taking a Closer Look at Carbon Footprints by Dr. Billy Campbell and Lee Webster to learn more about the environmental cost of NOR and compare its carbon footprint and cost to other disposition options.
With rising cremation rates across the country, there appears to be a misconception that it is an environmentally friendly option. Cremation uses far fewer resources than conventional burial in a lawn cemetery with a vault, but it certainly has an environmental impact. Cremation burns fossil fuels, and some older cremation facilities can use significantly more energy compared to newer ones. Mercury is also emitted when a person with dental amalgam fillings is cremated, along with other metals, but filtration devices that can fully mitigate mercury pollution have not been invented yet. Because of the density and nonbiodegradable content of cremated remains, some green burial cemeteries do not allow scattering. Cremated remains consist of calcium phosphate and sodium and are heavy, apt to smother foliage on the surface. Underground cremated remains create what is essentially a nutrient-deficient salt lick that has no environmental benefits and can cause girdling of trees and destruction of microbial communities. Above ground, it can produce phosphorus runoff that creates algae bloom in waterways, killing fish and plants. While cremation is not an environmentally positive option, there are several things that can be done to attempt to offset the carbon footprint of cremation, such as recycling medical parts, making a contribution to a carbon fund, or supporting ocean reef regrowth. To learn more about cremation and alkaline hydrolysis, read Environmental Impact and Potential Human Health Effects of Cremation
It depends on the cemetery or scattering location. Be sure to check your local laws and regulations before scattering. Because of the density and nonbiodegradable content of cremated remains, many green burial cemeteries do not allow scattering. Cremated remains consist of calcium phosphate and sodium and are heavy, apt to smother foliage on the surface. Underground cremated remains create what is essentially a nutrient-deficient salt lick that has no environmental benefits.
This process, also known as resomation, wet cremation, or bio cremation, uses 350° water temperatures, pressure, and a 5% potassium hydroxide alkali solution (lye) for 2-3 hours to essentially liquify soft tissue, leaving bones for pulverization similar to flame cremation, and burning an estimated 80% less energy. Its developers claim that it emits zero greenhouse gases, and that the mercury from amalgam fillings is captured and recycled. AH is currently legal in 29 states [as of September 2023], including Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming, but available in 19. The Catholic Church is resistant to the process on religious doctrine grounds, and legislation in several states has been defeated through effective lobbying by the casket industry.
Adding Cremated Remains to Concrete Reefs allows families to honor their loved one's memory by contributing to the artificial development and restoration of coral reefs along seaboards that have been damaged, establishing new habitat for fish and other sea life. According to their website, reef balls have been used in more than 70 countries, on more than 4,000 projects for a wide variety of purposes. There are more than 700,000 reef balls in the oceans around the world. Cremated remains are added to a specially formulated concrete slurry during casting, and family members can actively participate during creation of the reef balls and be present for the lowering into the sea.
The concept of freeze-drying a body with nitrogen to be vibrated and scattered is reportedly not supported as physically possible by scientists. The Swedish company Promessa was liquidated in 2015 due to an inability to build a functioning facility or prove viability.
The egg-shaped urn for cremated remains is made of what has been described as "biodegradable plastic", and is meant to be interred in the ground and have a tree of your own choosing planted over it. Given what we know about the biodegradability and nutrient harvest capability of cremated remains, the chances that a tree will grow to maturity proximate to the capsule is unproven. According to the Capsula Mundi website, "Ashes will be held in small egg-shaped bio urns while bodies will be laid down in a fetal position in larger pods." The urn is for sale on the website; however, there does not appear to be a product available for full body burial at this time.