Australians are increasingly open to eco-friendly alternatives to traditional burials and cremations, according to experts, but the key to reducing environmental impact is planning ahead.
Environmental Cost of Traditional Deathcare
Cremation, chosen by about three-quarters of Australians, is among the most environmentally damaging methods. Sustainability certifiers PlanetMark found a typical gas cremation releases emissions equivalent to 125kg of carbon dioxide, including methane, nitrous oxides, and sulphur dioxide. Mercury from tooth fillings can also vaporise. Traditional burials leach chemicals from embalming and treated timber coffins, while site maintenance releases greenhouse gases.
"Basically the entirety of our history as an Australian society, we've only really done two things and that was seen as entirely sufficient," says Dr Kate Falconer, an Australian death law researcher at University College Cork in Ireland.
Cleaner Alternatives: Natural Burials and Aquamation
Natural burials involve minimal preparation, with the deceased placed in a biodegradable shroud or coffin at a shallow depth, decomposing over a decade with negligible emissions. Aquamation, or alkaline hydrolysis, uses water and alkaline solution to break down the body within hours, leaving only powdered bones. Terramation (human composting) is being considered in Australia, with a bill introduced in NSW parliament.
Dr Domenic Trimboli, an architect and urban planner at Curtin University, notes that many Australians, regardless of age, are curious about alternatives. "There was definitely a curiosity about alternatives," he says.
Sustainable Coffins Make a Difference
Swapping lacquered coffins with plastic parts for untreated pine, cardboard, or wicker baskets significantly reduces emissions. PlanetMark estimates a mahogany veneer coffin with plastic handles and lining emits over 170kg when cremated, compared to less than 10kg for a natural burial with a cardboard coffin. A biodegradable bag has the lowest emissions at 0.3kg.
"I don't think a lot of people realise how bad coffins are," Falconer says. "A lot of coffins might be wood, but they're often coated in lacquer, they've got plastic linings, the handles are all plastic."
Industry Shifts Toward Sustainability
Funeral industry practices are changing, with efficiencies in energy use and waste reduction. Sharyn Moll, former funeral director and national councillor for Funerals Australia, helped develop a sustainability guide published last year. "A lot of the call [for sustainable practices] is actually coming from the industry rather than from the public," Moll says.
Planning Ahead Is Crucial
Falconer says regulatory ambiguity hampers nationwide impact, but the biggest impediment is that Australians often leave funeral decisions until after a loved one dies. Executors grieving and under time pressure default to traditional methods. "If people insist on having what they see as a 'standard' funeral, then that's what we have to give them," Moll says. "What the industry would really like to see is people becoming more aware of what's available, so they can think all that through, talk with family about it."
