Funerals: An Environmental Threat?

Approximately 57 million people worldwide die every year. This leaves a lot of dead to bury thus leaving many funerals to be had. In many cases the deceased body is injected with embalming fluid in order to preserve it and make the body more pleasant to the eye for the funeral. What few people consider is the damage to the environment funerals cause.

You're probably wondering how a funeral could possibly be an environmental threat. Well, for starters, the practice of embalming the dead is quite bad for the Earth. Embalming fluid is made up of several chemicals; one of these chemicals being formaldehyde, a carcinogen (meaning it causes cancer). This not only poses a threat to the embalmer and manufacturers of the chemical, but also to the surrounding area where the body is buried when the embalming fluid eventually leaks into the soil. Besides that, it slows the decaying process. Though few people relish the thought of their loved ones' remains being devoured by worms and insects, this is a natural process and slowing it down is harmful to the environment. It should be notied that there is no law stating that the deceased must be embalmed.

Fancy, decorated, hardwood coffins also have a negative affect on the environment. Besides being made from rare and expensive hardwood, coffins are covered with lacquers which are toxic. These toxic chemicals eventually find their way into the soil just like embalming fluid does. Coffins are often made of non-biodegradable materials. This increases the time it takes them to decay, thus slowing the process of renewing resources. Not to mention that coffins are usually composed of several metals as well. So plenty of steel, copper, bronze, and other metals are buried (and wasted) along with them.