Eco-Friendly Cremations

Eco-friendly cremations are a new trend for Buckeye, AZ cremations. In the United States, cremation is the most common alterative to a funeral with burial. In some parts of the country, there are four times as many cremations as there are funerals with burials. 

Traditional cremation is a process where high heat and evaporation is used to reduce remains to bone fragments, when are then crushed and given to the family for disposal. Greener cremations use additional steps so that the cremation process is friendlier to the environment. 

Eco-friendly cremations don’t use any harmful chemicals and scattering the remains eliminates the need for a casket or space in the ground. 

Although traditional cremation uses fewer resources than any other options for disposing of remains, it still has an environmental impact, since traditional cremation uses fossil fuels and can use a significant amount of energy. Additionally, very old dental amalgam fillings emit mercury during the traditional cremation process. However, new filtering processes in crematories and the decline in dentistry of using amalgam fillings will eventually eliminate mercury emissions. 

One aspect of eco-friendly cremations that reduces the environment impact is the type of casket used. Known as green caskets, these caskets are made from natural materials that will gently decompose and have a minimal impact on the earth. Because green caskets are made from sustainably-produced materials that come from renewal sources, they don’t add any toxins to the earth while they decompose. 

The materials used in green caskets include bamboo, hemp, organic wool and felt, organic cotton, cork, teak, willow, seagrass, rattan, banana leaf, and recycled cardboard. When traditional caskets are buried, they take a long time to decompose, especially if the caskets have any metal parts or are painted or veneered. Green caskets, however, do not contain metal nor are painted or veneered, so they decompose faster and without a high environmental impact. 

If the funeral home doesn’t carry green caskets, you can either ask the funeral home to obtain them or you can purchase them online for your eco-friendly cremation at the funeral home. 

A second aspect of eco-friendly cremations is the type of urn that is used to store the cremains. Choose an urn that is made of a material that will easily break down in dirt or in water. Some examples of these materials are Himalayan rock salt and sustainably-produced handmade paper. 

Bio-cremation is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional cremation. It involves a process known as alkaline hydrolysis or water resolution. In this process, the body is put into a special chamber where water, heat, pressure, and potassium hydroxide – lye – are applied. Within a few hours, all that’s left is white ashes, which are the bone mineral remains.  

Bio-cremation can produce up to 30% more ashes than a traditional cremation. The environmental benefits of this process are that it uses considerably less energy, reduces the amount of carbon dioxide produced, and no harmful emissions like mercury occur. 

Once the eco-friendly cremation is completed, the ashes can be scattered or buried just as they can be in traditional cremations.  

If you’d like to know more eco-friendly cremations for Buckeye, AZ cremations, you can talk with our empathetic and knowledgeable staff at Simply Cremation & Funeral Arrangements. You can also see us at our funeral home at 16952 W. Bell Rd., #303, Surprise, AZ, 85374, or you can contact us today at (623) 975-9393.