What is a green burial?
# What Is a Green Burial?
A green burial has no embalming fluid, no concrete or metal vault, and a container that biodegrades naturally, so the body returns to the earth without barriers. This page covers the definition, the legal rules, the costs, and how to choose a container that actually qualifies as green.
*Comparing containers now? [Browse certified green burial caskets and shrouds →]*
## Contents
1. [What Qualifies a Burial as "Green"](#core-definition)
2. [Green vs. Conventional vs. Hybrid Burial](#comparison-table)
3. [Step-by-Step: Process & Checklist](#timeline)
4. [Embalming Alternatives](#body-prep)
5. [Choosing a Container](#containers)
6. [Certification & Where to Have One](#certification)
7. [Is It Legal in My State?](#legal)
8. [Cost Breakdown](#cost)
9. [Green Burial vs. Composting vs. Alkaline Hydrolysis](#alternatives)
10. [Environmental Benefits](#environment)
11. [FAQ](#faq)
## What Qualifies a Burial as "Green" {#core-definition}
Three things have to be true.
- **No embalming.** The body is preserved short-term with refrigeration, dry ice, or essential oils instead of formaldehyde-based fluid.
- **No vault or grave liner.** The body goes directly into the earth so soil, water, and organisms can interact with it.
- **A fully biodegradable container.** Untreated wood, wicker, seagrass, cotton, or unbleached cloth — no metal hardware, plastic liners, or synthetic finishes.
Miss any one of the three and it's a hybrid or conventional burial with green styling, not a true green burial.
As the [Green Burial Council](https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/what-is-green-burial/) puts it, a conventional burial "includes an embalmed body, a casket made of metal or hardwood, and a concrete vault deep in the ground." Green burial rejects each of those defaults: the body is placed directly in the earth, without embalming, in biodegradable materials.
This isn't a new invention — it's a reversion. The [Green Burial Council](https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/what-is-green-burial/) describes it as "a time-honored tradition" that reflects "how many cultures bury their dead today," not a modern trend. As ecologist Marc Bekoff put it in the Council's own words: *"Humans are a part of nature not apart from nature."* ([Green Burial Council](https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/what-is-green-burial/))
Nearly all US burials followed this pattern before the Civil War. Embalming spread afterward to preserve soldiers' bodies for transport home, and the vault-and-metal-casket industry grew alongside the modern funeral home business through the 20th century. The Green Burial Council formalized certification standards for the practice in 2005.
"Green burial" and "natural burial" mean the same thing and are used interchangeably in the US; "natural burial" is simply the more common term in the UK and Canada. "Eco-friendly burial" is looser marketing language that doesn't guarantee all three criteria above are met.
## Green vs. Conventional vs. Hybrid Burial {#comparison-table}
| Feature | Conventional Burial | Hybrid Burial | Green Burial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embalming | Standard practice | Optional, often used | Never used |
| Vault or liner | Required by cemetery | Required by cemetery | Never used |
| Container material | Metal, hardwood, synthetic | Biodegradable casket allowed | Biodegradable only |
| Cemetery type | Conventional | Conventional cemetery, green section | Natural or conservation burial ground |
| Land use after burial | Maintained lawn, headstones | Maintained lawn, flat markers | Meadow, woodland, native landscaping |
| Typical cost | $9,000–$12,000+ | $6,000–$9,000 | $2,000–$5,000 |
Hybrid burial is the middle ground most families encounter: a conventional cemetery that permits a biodegradable casket or shroud but still requires a vault. That's not a green burial by the three-part definition above, though it's often marketed that way.
## Step-by-Step: Process & Checklist {#timeline}
1. **[Notify a funeral home or green burial provider](/blogs/guides/what-to-do-when-someone-dies).** Not all have direct experience — ask before you sign anything.
2. **Keep the body cool within hours of death**, using refrigeration or dry ice, since no embalming will slow decomposition.
3. **File the death certificate and any burial-transit permit**, usually within 24–72 hours.
4. **[Choose a container and cemetery](/blogs/guides/how-to-choose-a-casket-size-material-price)** — shroud, wicker casket, or plain wood coffin, and a hybrid, natural, or conservation plot. Confirm vault and container rules in writing, and verify the container has no metal hardware or synthetic finish.
5. **Prepare the body**: washed, dressed, and placed in the shroud or casket, often by family members if the provider allows it.
6. **Hold a viewing or ceremony**, typically within 3–5 days of death without embalming.
7. **Transport and bury** the body directly in the earth, without a vault, usually 3–7 feet deep depending on state and cemetery rules. Confirm your state and county depth requirement in advance.
8. **Mark the grave** with a native fieldstone, engraved rock, or GPS coordinates rather than a standing headstone.
[Get all cost estimates in writing](/blogs/guides/casket-price-guide) before committing to a cemetery or funeral home.
## Body Preparation: Embalming Alternatives {#body-prep}
Providers use refrigeration (most common and effective, 36–40°F), dry ice packed around the torso, or essential oils like clove and lavender. The oils have mild antimicrobial effects but don't preserve tissue the way cooling does.
A viewing without embalming is realistic if the body has been refrigerated and the viewing happens within a few days of death. Ask your funeral home whether staff have handled unembalmed viewings before. Some default to recommending embalming out of habit, not requirement.
## Choosing a Green Burial Container: Caskets, Coffins & Shrouds Compared {#containers}
| Container Type | Materials | Price Range | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shroud | Unbleached cotton, linen, wool | $150–$600 | Lowest cost, fastest biodegradation, simplest | No rigid structure, may need a carrying board |
| Wicker/seagrass casket | Woven willow, bamboo, seagrass | $900–$2,500 | Fully biodegradable, sturdy, visually warm | Higher cost than shroud, limited supplier availability |
| Pine or poplar coffin | Untreated softwood, wooden pegs (no metal) | $700–$2,000 | Familiar casket shape, biodegrades fully if unfinished | Must confirm no varnish, glue, or metal hardware |
| Cardboard casket | Heavy corrugated cardboard | $200–$800 | Very low cost, lightweight, biodegradable | Less structural strength, feels less traditional to some families |
Before buying any of these, confirm the item is GBC-certified or explicitly meets the three green criteria above. Confirm there's no metal hardware, and confirm any wood finish is untreated or uses natural oil rather than polyurethane. A casket labeled "eco" isn't automatically compliant — read the materials list.
### A Real-World Comparison: Conventional vs. Green Containers
It helps to see the contrast in concrete terms. Here's how our own conventional casket line compares against the three-part definition above — and why none of these qualify as green burial containers:
- **Hamilton Burial Casket, Cherry Finish, Ivory Velvet Interior** — $1,499.99, 280 lb, finished hardwood with a velvet lining.
- **Howard Orchid Burial Casket, Lilac Finish, Pink Interior** — $1,199, 260 lb, finished wood with a fabric interior.
- **Adams Silver 31" Oversized Casket, Silver Finish, White Interior** — $1,649.99, 280 lb, gloss metal construction.
Each of these uses a sealed synthetic finish, fabric lining, or metal build — every one of which fails the biodegradability criterion above. They're built for embalmed, vaulted burial, not green burial, and that's by design. If a casket in this weight and finish range is ever marketed as "eco" or "green," ask the seller directly which of the three criteria it meets. A shroud or unfinished pine coffin — both far lighter and untreated — are the containers that actually qualify.
## Certification & Where to Have One {#certification}
The [Green Burial Council](https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/) certifies cemeteries, funeral homes, and products against defined standards. In its own words, the Council "makes sure that when something is called a 'green burial,' it actually helps the environment," approving providers "that follow strict eco-friendly rules" rather than simply taking their word for it — the closest thing the industry has to a trust mark.
Cemeteries fall into three tiers, and each accepts green burial differently:
- **Hybrid cemeteries**: conventional grounds with a designated green section. No vault required there, but the rest of the property is maintained normally. Most common and easiest to find.
- **Natural burial grounds**: dedicated sites with no vaults anywhere and native landscaping instead of mowed lawns.
- **Conservation burial grounds**: natural burial standards plus a permanent legal conservation easement, often partnered with a land trust, so the land can never be developed.
A GBC-certified casket or cemetery has been verified against these standards; an uncertified one marketed as "green" hasn't necessarily been checked by anyone but the seller. Search the certified provider directory at [greenburialcouncil.org](https://www.greenburialcouncil.org), or ask a local cemetery directly whether it has a green section — many do without advertising it. Dedicated natural burial grounds remain concentrated in the Pacific Northwest, Northeast, and parts of the Southeast.
## Is Green Burial Legal in My State? {#legal}
Green burial is legal in all 50 states. No state requires embalming or a vault; both come from individual cemetery policy, not statute. What varies by state and county is burial depth, private-land eligibility, and how those rules get enforced locally.
| State | Private-land burial | Typical depth rule | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Allowed in unincorporated areas with health dept. approval | ~18 inches soil cover (county-enforced) | Prohibited in most incorporated cities |
| Texas | Explicitly permitted (Health & Safety Code Ch. 711) | 2 feet minimum, county-enforced | Plot must be recorded as a cemetery with the county clerk |
| New York | Effectively limited to designated cemetery corporations | Varies | New cemeteries need state cemetery board approval |
| Washington | Allowed with county health department approval | Varies by county | Home to several conservation burial grounds |
| Florida | Allowed on private land outside city limits in most counties | 3 feet minimum, typical | Some counties add setback-from-water rules |
Rules vary by county even within permissive states — distance from water sources and property lines is commonly restricted. Check your county health department directly, and see the National Home Funeral Alliance's state summary ([homefuneralalliance.org](https://www.homefuneralalliance.org)) as a starting point.
## How Much Does a Green Burial Cost? {#cost}
| Cost Category | Conventional Burial | Green Burial | Cremation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embalming | $500–$800 | $0 | $0 |
| Casket/container | $2,000–$5,000+ | $150–$2,500 | $0–$200 (cremation container) |
| Vault | $1,000–$2,000 | $0 | N/A |
| Cemetery plot | $1,500–$3,000 | $500–$2,500 | N/A |
| Opening/closing grave | $700–$1,500 | $500–$1,200 | N/A |
| **Typical total** | **$9,000–$12,000** | **$2,000–$5,000** | **$1,000–$3,500** |
Green burial typically runs 40–60% less than conventional burial by eliminating embalming, vault, and metal casket costs, landing close to or slightly above direct cremation once a natural burial ground's plot fee is included. The National Funeral Directors Association publishes annual median cost data for context ([nfda.org](https://www.nfda.org)).
For comparison, a conventional [metal or finished-hardwood casket](/blogs/guides/metal-vs-wood-caskets) alone — like the ones in our own catalog — typically runs $1,199 to $2,395 before vault and embalming fees are added. That casket cost sits on top of, not instead of, the embalming and vault line items above.
## Green Burial vs. Human Composting vs. Alkaline Hydrolysis {#alternatives}
All three are lower-impact alternatives to conventional burial, but the processes differ. Green burial returns the body to soil intact, decomposing naturally over months to years. Human composting (natural organic reduction) accelerates decomposition in a controlled vessel with wood chips and airflow, producing soil in about 30–60 days; it's legal in a growing number of states including Washington, Colorado, Oregon, and New York. Alkaline hydrolysis (water cremation) uses water, heat, and alkali to reduce the body to bone fragments and liquid in hours, legal in roughly half of US states.
Green burial is the only one of the three requiring no mechanical or chemical process, and it's generally the lowest-cost option.
## Environmental Benefits Explained {#environment}
The [Green Burial Council](https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/) frames the core benefit directly: green burial is "a way of caring for the dead with minimal environmental impact that aids in the conservation of natural resources, reduction of carbon emissions, protection of worker health, and the restoration and/or preservation of habitat."
The clearest practical case is land use: natural and conservation burial grounds are managed as native habitat rather than mowed turf, and conservation burial grounds place that land under a permanent easement. Avoiding embalming fluid — an estimated 4.3 million gallons of which are buried in the US annually — removes a groundwater and worker-exposure risk the EPA has published guidance on ([EPA formaldehyde](https://www.epa.gov/formaldehyde)). Compared to cremation, which uses significant fossil-fuel energy per body, green burial has the smallest material and energy footprint among common death-care options.
## FAQ {#faq}
**What exactly qualifies a burial as "green"?** No embalming, no vault or grave liner, and a fully biodegradable container — cotton shroud, untreated wood, or wicker. All three conditions must be true; a biodegradable casket alone in a vault-required cemetery doesn't qualify.
**Is embalming ever required by law?** No. Funeral homes may recommend it for extended viewings or transport, but it's always optional, per the FTC's Funeral Rule.
**Can you have a viewing without embalming?** Yes, refrigeration or dry ice keeps the body suitable for viewing for several days.
**What actually happens to the body during green burial decomposition?** Without a vault or embalming, soil organisms, moisture, and oxygen break the body down naturally — a process that takes months to a few years depending on soil type and container material, versus 30–60 days for human composting in a controlled vessel.
**What should I look for when buying a green burial casket or shroud?** GBC certification or an explicit materials list, no metal hardware, no plastic liner, and no synthetic or polyurethane finish on wood. "Eco" labeling alone isn't proof of compliance.
**How much does a green burial cost?** Roughly $2,000–$5,000 total, versus $9,000–$12,000 for conventional burial, mainly from skipping embalming, vault, and metal casket costs.
**Do all cemeteries allow green burial?** No. You need a hybrid cemetery with a green section, a dedicated natural burial ground, or a conservation burial ground. Ask any local cemetery directly — some offer it quietly.
**Can I be buried on private land?** Depends heavily on the state and county; California and Texas both allow it with approval, New York effectively requires cemetery-corporation status. Always check your local health department first.
**How is green burial different from human composting?** Green burial buries the body intact for decomposition over months to years. Human composting accelerates the process in a vessel, producing usable soil in 30–60 days, and is legal in a growing but still limited number of states.
**How long does the whole process take?** Usually 3 to 7 days from death to burial, comparable to conventional timelines, since permit filing still applies even without an embalming step.
Choosing a green burial mostly comes down to a series of practical decisions — container, cemetery, timeline — made easier once you know what's legally required versus what's just industry custom.
*Ready to compare containers? [See certified shrouds and caskets built for green burial →]*
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