Scrub Hub: What is a 'green' burial? (Hint, it involves decomposing into the earth)

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03-03-2025

Hoosiers may soon be able to choose a "water burial" after at least a decade of lawmakers trying to add it to the options funeral services may offer.
Rep. Mark Genda, R-Frankfort, once again introduced a bill that would legalize alkaline hydrolysis, a "green" form of cremation promoted as more environmentally friendly than other options. House Bill 1044 would mandate the state to create rules for the process before January 1, 2026.
Efforts to add water cremations to the list of funeral services for Hoosiers have been underway since at least 2015. Genda's bill this year has passed through the house and is awaiting a hearing with a Senate committee.
Alkaline hydrolysis has been used in the U.S. since 2003 and is available in roughly half of states across the country. The process does not involve the burning of fossil fuels nor produce the pollution that traditional cremation does. It does, however, use a significant amount of water.
The process involves dissolving a human's remains in a chemical mixture using heat and water. This, much like traditional cremation, leaves behind bone remains that can be memorialized.
Alkaline hydrolysis is not the only form of a green, or eco-friendly burial, there are other sustainable options Hoosiers can choose.
Green burial can mean different things to different people — to some, it means a very specific form of disposition, but to others it encompasses the broader umbrella of sustainable options for after-death care.
The Green Burial Council talks about 'any form of disposition that reduces impact on the environment,' said Sam Perry, president of the national group. 'We want to conserve land, protect natural resources and protect worker health, too.'
Perry, who also is a licensed funeral director in Indiana and Illinois, said the group also is working to change the term from green to natural burial, noting there can be negative connotations with use of the term 'green.' It also better represents what these options are and what they provide for families, he said.
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Still, the GBC works with a particular definition of green or natural burial. For their organization, a natural burial focuses on three key elements that differ from the conventional version.
The first factor is how the body is prepared. In a traditional burial, bodies are often embalmed with a mixture of chemicals such as formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde and other solvents. In a natural burial, that doesn't happen and bodies typically are not embalmed, Perry said.
The second element of a natural burial is the container in which the body is buried. Usually, bodies are buried in a metal casket or one that is wood but lacquered and treated with other chemicals. These materials do not easily or readily break down.
With natural burials, bodies are placed in containers that will biodegrade. Perry said that can include caskets made from wicker or bamboo, for example, or even a simple pine box that is untreated.
The last aspect that makes for a natural burial is where the bodies are buried. Many cemeteries bury their caskets in vaults or liners, often made of concrete, which are meant to be protective receptacles. That very characteristic, however, goes against allowing bodies to decompose as part of a natural burial.
It's these elements — the lack of chemicals, non-biodegradable materials, as well as minimal carbon footprint as compared to cremation — that explain why natural burials are considered an environmentally-friendly option.
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According to Perry, green burials are allowed in every state, including Indiana. That said, there are still accessibility issues for such services across the country.
In recent years, Perry has seen significant growth in both public interest and demand in natural burials and other sustainable disposition options. In response, he also is seeing more funeral homes and cemeteries wanting to learn more in how to offer natural services.
'People who come to natural burial usually are more comfortable with that natural decomposition and the breakdown of the body and going back to nature,' Perry said. 'It's the idea that we aren't separate from nature, but we are part of it.'
There are other types of sustainable after-death options that also are becoming more popular. These include the water cremation IndyStar previously wrote about or another process called human composting. While still a better alternative to traditional burial or cremation, Perry said, both of these options also have their drawbacks — such as water and energy usage.
If you have any more questions about green burials or any other sustainable alternatives, please ask us! You can submit a question to the Scrub Hub through the Google form below.
Call IndyStar reporter Sarah Bowman at 317-444-6129 or email at [e-mail]. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @IndyStarSarah. Connect with IndyStar's environmental reporters: Join The Scrub on Facebook.
IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 'Green' burials grow in popularity as people want sustainable options