Funerals and anything related to this topic are a difficult thing to talk about, and there are many choices to be made when it comes to planning. It seems like more and more British Columbians are considering green burials when it comes to after-death disposition, so we thought we would share a little information about this option.
What are green burials?
Generally speaking, a green burial is considered to be an ecologically sound method of burial that avoids the use of chemicals and non-biodegradable objects and products (such as caskets and headstones) in the burial process. Bodies are traditionally wrapped in biodegradable shrouds or placed in a biodegradable casket before being buried in a protected green space within a cemetery.
What does the law say about green burials?
There are no laws in British Columbia to prevent green burials. In most cases, the chemical process of embalming is not a legal requirement. Funeral services and cremation are governed in BC under the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act (and regulations), and green cemeteries are considered no different than any other place of interment. It’s important to note that operators still have to follow all the requirements outlined in the Act.
What’s the process of opening a green burial cemetery?
As green cemeteries are not considered to be different from any other place of interment, any new cemetery must be appropriately zoned and must be found to meet community needs before receiving approval. Should an existing cemetery operator wish to extend their place of interment to include green burials, they would have to meet the same requirements as any other cemetery wishing to expand their land. In order to designate a certain area as “green,” the operator would need to amend their operating bylaws.
Did you know that by law, cemeteries, crematoriums, funeral service providers and funeral directors are required to be licensed in BC? Find a licensed provider on our website and learn about your rights and responsibilities when it comes to funeral services in BC.
ADDITIONAL READING:
Your preneed cemetery or funeral services contract rights
Cemetery and funeral services: do you know your rights?
Steps to take following a death
We, as a society in Canada (US), need to back away from the commercial funeral/burial/cremation business. Apparently this sector is only big business in our part of the world. We need to get back to fundamental, natural, honouring disposition of the deceased.
Using synthetic and/or toxic chemicals for body preservation is not natural, potentially harmful to the soil and water systems, and can be dangerous for those in production and handling of such substances. It is ridiculous that we are allowing the production and placement of so much concrete at cemeteries. These areas are largely going to be wastelands of man-made material, not natural parklands with the dead buried.
We do need to shift toward ‘green’ burials.
Hi Melaina.
I was wondering if you can tell me whether or not there are any Green Burial sites on the North Shore ? Or where would be the closest . I understand Royal Oak in Victoria is one.
Thanks.
John
Hi John, thank you for your question. What I can suggest is to do a search on our website for licensed cemeteries in the North Shore area. As we don’t have a listing of those types of services, you can perhaps phone them and ask them directly. Here is a link (http://bit.ly/1fdKR6s) to our licensee search page, you can select “cemetery” under License Type and put in the city name you want to search.
That sounds like something we should all be utilizing instead of acting as though a majestic funeral that costs $10000 will mean something to us after we pass away.
I attended a green burial of a dear friend recently and I can say that it was the most undignified and unprofessional burial you can ever imagine. I will never attend one again regardless of who the deceased is. I agree with the concept of the green burial but there has to be dignity for the deceased that goes along with it. Using what looks like a garden potting shed table to transport the body part way to the site and then asking friends and family to take the “ropes” and move the body the rest of the way was unprofessional to say the least. When we arrived at the burial site the body was placed on bare wood planks which were then taken away and the family and friends had to lower the body into the hole. Why could the body not have been at the burial site already and the site laid out the way it would be for any regular burial. Not simple to see unfinished planks laying there etc. When they were carrying the body of my friend to the site the body actually shifted and I felt he was going to fall. All in all, it was horrible to watch and witness. Again, for what the funeral homes charge certainly they can add more dignity and professionalism to their “green burials”.
Hi F. Walker. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience and opinion on green burials. It’s my understanding that each company offering a green burial would likely have a different approach to the process (much like any other funeral provider) and they will not all be the same. If you or the family is unhappy with the quality of service, you may be interested in speaking to the company directly. Again, thanks for sharing!
Regarding establishing a new Green Burial Ground, are the steps for establishing a new cemetery the same if applying for crown land? Thanks
Hi Nicola, nice to hear from you again. If you have questions regarding the licensing requirements for establishing a green burial ground, I suggest you contact our Business Practices team (the same email I shared before). Thanks
My wife and I are interested in ‘Recomposition’, which will be enacted into Washington State law in May 2020. Based out of Seattle, the company who created the process and built a facility are called Recompose.
Essentially, this environmentally-sound process turns human remains into soil… kind of gives a whole new meaning to Ecclesiastes 3: “Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”
We wish to put our interest forward to CPBC so that an opportunity to add an urban ‘green’ option for human remains has the possibility to be legally added to Vancouver’s Greenest City action plan.
Right now our only green burial option is to buy land at one particular cemetery in South Surrey. Please consider recomposition as an important green burial option.
Thank you!
Hi David, thank you for reaching out to us here. So you’re aware, our organization doesn’t make changes to the law, we enforce the laws that already exist. If you’d like changes to the laws that are in place, you can contact the provincial government and explain your rationale. A good first step would be writing a letter to your MLA. I hope this helps!
I couldn’t agree with you more David. I so hope that Vancouver will see the benefit of bringing Recompose to Canada. It fits so perfectly.
Their website does have mention of franchising in the near future so maybe a philanthropic environmentalist will help make it happen:)
Julia from Vancouver
Hello, David and Julia. I too want to see a facility like Recompose here in BC. My husband would have chosen that option had it been available here. Instead he had to make do with the very limited green burial options available here, but he would far rather have made a small difference in a place of his choosing with his organic matter. I will start by petitioning my local MLA.
Hello all
I am writing from Nanaimo and wanting to access green burial sites and or recompose sites for my own arrangements. Although the Saltspring site appears optimum (I have yet to do the tour) I am well aware my family will have a hard time coming from afar and then having to deal with the added ferries. Any ‘philanthropic environmentalist’ listening.
I too will write my MLA. As I age I consider this an essential end of life service. Thank you for your voices.
Hello! I came here from a comment on this post about natural burial in a shroud. https://www.consumerprotectionbc.ca/2014/10/opting-for-a-private-transfer-of-your-loved-one-to-a-funeral-home-crematorium-or-cemetery-if-you-have-questions-here-are-some-things-you-should-know/
Original comment: “This article says that remains must be transported in a “rigid container”. IF you wanted to bury remains in a shroud for natural burial, would you also need a rigid container to transport?“
This article on green burial doesn’t really answer the question. So if there was to be a burial in nothing but a shroud, and a private transfer was happening, one would need to spend extra money on the purchase of a rigid container or casket just for the transfer? Is a cardboard casket considered leakproof or does it need to be lined with plastic or leakproof material? Why is a transfer company allowed to transfer decedents without a rigid leakproof container and not a private citizen? The transfer companies simply strap the body onto a spine board and gurney, often in only a piece of plastic folded over (open ends) or a hospital blanket. This doesn’t make sense to me.