● Grave markers are simple, engraved stones indigenous to the area. Sometimes a native tree or shrub is planted instead. To ensure family members will always be able to find the grave of their loved one, the burial sites are typically marked on a survey map. Some cemeteries insert metal nails at a site so that a metal detector can aid in searching. Others use global positioning systems (GPS) to locate sites. Another important aspect of natural burial grounds is that they also accept cremated ashes for burial or for scattering in a dedicated area. A number of natural cemeteries in Germany house only cremated remains. In these areas, ashes may be scattered or buried, or placed in biodegradable urns buried along the drip line of mature trees and marked with small memorial tags. In the same way that offices are trying to go “paperless” to minimize costs and waste, more grounds are turning to sustainable landscaping principles, also called xeriscaping or green-scaping (Water Utility Authority, 2011). This means using native, noninvasive plants that are suited to the climate and can even provide habitat or food sources for animals such as nesting birds. Irrigation, pesticides, and herbicides are not used, or are used sparingly. Sustainable landscaping is low- impact, low-maintenance, low-resource-use, and low-cost landscaping that fits each particular site and climate.
Most green cemeteries do not resemble traditional cemeteries, that is, green manicured lawns and headstones lined up neatly. Natural cemeteries tend to look more like nature preserves, with trees, grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs. There are often walking paths leading visitors to burial areas, with inconspicuous engraved stones marking individual burial sites. Other common features of natural cemeteries include: ● Excavation of the burial site is usually by hand to minimize impacts on the surrounding land and to protect native plant diversity. ● Earth is mounded on top of the gravesite, and the mound eventually disappears as the earth settles. Native grasses, flowers, trees, or shrubs may be planted on the mound to quickly rehabilitate the site. ● Caskets and burial shrouds must be made of biodegradable materials. No hardwood caskets are allowed. Maintenance of grounds Natural cemeteries’ treatment of the grounds is also quite different from that of traditional cemeteries. Green cemeteries work to preserve natural habitat and wilderness areas instead of altering and manicuring landscapes with nonnative plants or grasses that often require large amounts of water and chemical fertilizers. They place trees and plants to mimic the natural environment and try to restore the land to its natural contours. Many of the trends in natural cemeteries dovetail with other landscaping strategies meant to reduce resource use and labor, and to work with, rather than against, the natural environment.
GREENING OF THE INDUSTRY
Given the general greening of all aspects of society in recent years, it is certain that the funeral industry will continue to go green in a range of areas, including in response to potential Formaldehyde A recent, closely watched issue of concern to many in the industry is the potential danger of formaldehyde and the possibility of a movement away from its use for both environmental and worker protections. As early as 2004, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) released information suggesting that the use of formaldehyde may increase the risk of nasopharyngeal cancer or leukemia in embalmers. In November 2009, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published even more definitive and disturbing data regarding exposure to formaldehyde. The study found that death from myeloid leukemia grew with increasing years of embalming experience, confirming that the risk of cancer is Safety considerations for embalming As mentioned, the current trend is to move away from the use of hazardous chemicals in the embalming process. To date, formaldehyde is still the embalming fluid of choice because other nontoxic preservation fluids have not been developed that ensure similar results. OSHA and the NFDA continue to research and develop training and guidelines that warn of the hazards of formaldehyde and the precautions that must be taken to mitigate the harmful effects of the toxin on funeral personnel and the environment. OSHA has produced a fact sheet, summarized below, to explain the effects of formaldehyde exposure as well as precautions that must be in place to protect funeral staff at high risk for exposure to the dangerous chemical. The OSHA Formaldehyde standard (29 CFR 1910.1048) and equivalent regulations in states with OSHA-approved state plans protect workers exposed to formaldehyde and apply to all occupational exposures to formaldehyde from formaldehyde gas, its
environmental risks and to personal risks for members of the profession, by reducing the risks of any toxic materials used or requiring the use of alternative materials.
associated with the duration of employment, work practices, and estimated worker formaldehyde exposure levels. Funeral professionals and the organizations responsible for protecting their welfare continue to monitor the international, federal, and state regulatory landscape for changes and limits on the use of formaldehyde for embalming purposes in the U.S. Since the IARC and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) declared formaldehyde a carcinogen in 2009, in 2012, in 2015, and again in 2018, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) developed new regulations limiting the use of and exposure limits for formaldehyde. solutions, and materials that release formaldehyde. The OSHA information is as follows (OSHA, 2011): ● Formaldehyde is a colorless, strong-smelling chemical often used in aqueous, water-based solutions. It is commonly used as a preservative in medical laboratories and mortuaries. ● The permissible exposure limit (PEL) for formaldehyde in the workplace is 0.75 part formaldehyde per million parts of air (0.75 ppm) measured as an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA). ● The standard includes a second PEL in the form of a short- term exposure limit (STEL) of 2 ppm that is the maximum exposure allowed during a 15-minute period. ● The action level, which is the standard’s trigger for increased industrial hygiene monitoring and initiation of worker medical surveillance, is 0.5 ppm when calculated as an eight-hour TWA.
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