Last Updated on July 14, 2024 by Asfa Rasheed
It’s likely that if you lead an eco-friendly life, you’re thinking about dying green. Fortunately, there are a number of easily accessible and environmentally friendly options available in Australia for handling human remains. While there are advantages and disadvantages to both burial and cremation, they are both regarded as environmentally demanding.
Burial occupies valuable space, and maintaining cemeteries calls for constant care, including the use of chemicals, herbicides, and water. Even though cremation is usually thought to be less harmful to the environment than traditional burial, the cremators require energy to operate, and burning mercury dental fillings and other materials like tattoo inks releases fumes into the atmosphere.
Our options to dispose of bodies more environmentally friendly are expanding as alternatives to these conventional methods become available. These are five of the five more acceptable, green methods for getting rid of a dead body.
Natural burial
Natural burials are becoming more and more popular among council officials across the nation because, when done properly, it’s possible that this process is aligned with nature —dust to dust. In order to properly perform a natural burial, you must take into account the environmental effects of each step of the post-death care and burial procedure. This includes using carbon neutral transportation, minimal chemical intervention, a cardboard, felted wool, or wicker coffin, or, even better, simply wrapping the body in an unbleached natural fiber shroud.
Alkaline hydrolysis
Alkaline hydrolysis, also referred to as water cremation, is an option for Australians seeking an alternative to burial or cremation. This technique, which is marketed as a greener way to dispose of bodies, entails placing the body in a chamber and treating it with water for six to twenty hours.
Following disintegration, the bones are taken out, ground up, and returned to the family, just as they would be following cremation. After that, the liquid is removed for disposal after being filtered and subjected to a UV sterilization procedure. Experts in this field are working to enhance this relatively new procedure so that, when it’s finished, clean water can be released back into the environment.
Human organic reduction
Many are looking at human composting as a straightforward alternative that accelerates the decomposition process in a controlled environment as our cemeteries fill up and people look for a less harmful way to pass away. The body is put into a big pod or vessel with rounded edges so that it can be turned and stirred during the procedure. In three months, the body is broken down by natural microbes to the point where the vessel can be opened and impurities like implants and prosthetics can be removed. In addition, the bigger bones are taken out, ground up, and put back into the container for additional disintegration. It’s vital to keep in mind that the more controls put on variables like temperature and humidity, the more energy this process will require. Some US cremators have honed the process to a highly scientific 60-day turnaround.
For assistance in cremation services in North London, contact IDC Funerals.
