The Hidden Price of the Funeral Industry
Funeral homes, like any other business, exist for the owners to make a living. It does seem like a strange business to me because there’s an air of humility and compassion that the employees are taught to display. Now, they may really feel true humility and compassion as they’re dealing with their clients, but the the cost of a funeral can be outrageous. And a lot of added costs are not necessarily required by law.
1. The Environmental Hazards of Embalming Chemicals
Take embalming for example. Embalming isn’t even necessary. It’s just a good way to make another thousand dollars. I realize I’m being a bit facetious and the argument is you can’t do a viewing without the body being embalmed, but the embalming is a horrific process that involves using a sharpened steel tube or aluminum tube and and jabbing it into the torso of the dead and stabbing inside back-and-forth back-and-forth back-and-forth to to puncture all of the organs so that as much liquid as possible can be sucked out, and then formaldehyde is pumped into the body. I would imagine that any family that has that process described to them would not allow that on their family members.
Embalming is a common practice in many funeral homes to preserve a body and prevent it from decomposing. The idea here is that loved ones would be spared from having to think about their loved ones rotting away. But what it actually means is that these bodies will sit in the ground as pollution for possibly centuries rather than contributing to the earth and its ecosystem.
The chemicals used for embalming include formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, methanol, and solvents.
Formaldehyde: The most widely used embalming chemical is formaldehyde, a highly toxic substance and known carcinogen, one that we definitely don't want getting into our soil, water supply, and local ecosystems. There is some discrepancy in the statistics of exactly how much formaldehyde the U.S. is burying each year, but the range is estimated between 800,000 and 4.3 million gallons. I know that's a big discrepancy, but in EITHER CASE, it's astounding and devastating.
Other Toxic Chemicals: In addition to formaldehyde, embalmers may use other chemicals such as methanol and glutaraldehyde in the embalming process. These chemicals can seep into soil and water supplies if funeral homes are not careful with their disposal practices.
Disposal of Embalming Fluids: While many funeral homes have become more aware of the dangers of embalming chemicals, studies have shown that in the U.S. alone, approximately 5 million gallons of embalming fluid are disposed of each year, contaminating water systems and soil.The Carbon Cost of Casket Production
2. Non-Biodegradable Caskets
Caskets are outrageously expensive as well, even though the vast majority of them are made in China and shipped to the United States. They can range in cost from $3000-$50,000. The caskets that I make will never be more than $1400 and most of them are about $800 despite the fact that they are made from quality materials and are beautiful. At the end of the day, I’m not in this business to make a living. I’m in it to give grieving families another option.
Caskets, often made from hardwood, metal, or composite materials, are a major contributor to the funeral industry’s carbon footprint.
Casket Materials: Most caskets contain at least a little wood, which, when used correctly, can be a fairly sustainable material. However, the funeral industry is notorious for trying to manipulate vulnerable and mourning family members into upgrading the standard grade caskets they sell to the premium ones made from hardwoods rare woods, or other "fancy" materials. The production of these higher-end caskets often involves deforestation, energy consumption for cutting and processing, and significant carbon emissions. For example, a wooden casket made of mahogany, one of the most common premium materials, can take up to 10 trees to produce! Plus, they coat them in lacquers and chemicals to prevent them from breaking down, as if not allowing their loved ones to return to the earth is somehow a good or virtuous thing. It's ridiculous.
MDF and Chipboard: But most caskets that are advertised as "wood caskets" contain up to 50% MDF or up to 50% plywood. Talk about sending your loved ones off in style. *rolls eyes*
Environmental Impact of Steel & Other Metals: Metal caskets, often made from steel or copper, are another premium option that don't biodegrade. Their production also contribute heavily to CO2 emissions. The extraction and processing of metals, such as steel, require high energy use, with steel production alone accounting for around 1.8 billion tons of CO2 emissions globally every year (approx. 5% of total global emissions).
So, what's the carbon footprint of one of my Humble Crossings caskets? The power it takes to plane boards and make cuts on a table saw. That's it.
3. Cremation
Cremation has become an increasingly popular option due to its lower upfront cost and perceived simplicity. Scattering ashes can be a beautiful and cathartic exercise, and many people take comfort in being able to have their ashes scattered in places that were important to them. However, cremation is far from environmentally neutral.
CO2 Emissions from Cremation: A typical cremation process uses large amounts of energy, primarily natural gas, to incinerate a body. According to a 2017 report by the Green Burial Council, a single cremation can release around 160-250 kg of CO2 into the atmosphere. In total, the cremation industry in the U.S. emits more than 1.6 million metric tons of CO2 annually.
Energy Use: The energy required to heat cremation furnaces to the necessary temperatures (between 1400-1800°F) consumes significant amounts of natural gas, contributing to the carbon footprint of the process. And according to an article posted in Chemical and Engineering News Magazine, a single cremation can emit about 190kg of CO2 into the air, which is about the same as a 500-mile car ride.
Mercury Emissions: In addition to CO2, cremation also releases mercury into the atmosphere when the fillings in the deceased person's teeth are incinerated and evaporated. It is estimated that 8.6 tons of mercury are released into the environment from cremations in the U.S. each year.
So What Do We Do About It?
There are a number of alternative death care practices gaining traction around the world as our understanding of sustainability and climate change increases. People are turning to green burials, eco-friendly caskets, biodegradable pods that are buried along with seeds to produce gardens or trees, and more.
As far as I'm concerned, utilizing local wood from trees that were already dying or being cut down, eliminated non-biodegradable elements, and making eco-friendly caskets affordable and accessible to everyone who needs them regardless of income, background, or anything else feels like doing my part to return dignity and human connection to death care practices in our society.
Additional Resources:
Green Burial Council: https://www.greenburialcouncil.org
Cremation Association of North America (CANA): https://www.cremationassociation.org
National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA): https://www.nfda.org
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