Will Oak Grove Cemetery Hold its First Natural Burial?

MEDFORD, MA—Many burials involve the use of cement, embalming fluid and other harmful toxins, but one Medford resident would like to buck the trend.

A Medford woman, who chose to remain anonymous, requested that her husband of 53 years be given a natural burial, according to a report by Wicked Local Medford. The woman met with the Medford Cemetery Trustees to request the alternate form of burial.

Alex Ruppenthal of Wicked Local Medford reports:

“According to the Green Springs Natural Cemetery Preserve, each year in the U.S. traditional cemeteries put more than 827,000 gallons of embalming fluid and 1,636,000 tons of reinforced concrete into the soil. They also use more than 30 million feet of hardwood, much of it high-quality tropical hardwood, and more than 90,000 tons of steel.

Two groups — Green Burial Massachusetts and the Green Burial Council — work to educate Massachusetts residents about the value and benefits of natural burials.

According to the website of the Green Burial Council, a natural 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.

Green burials require the use of non-toxic and biodegradable materials, according to the site, such as caskets, shrouds and urns, allowing the body to decompose naturally.”

According to the report, the process of approving a natural burial would be very extensive, and that the woman’s request for a speedy process may not be able to be granted. Cemeteries in Amherst and Chesterfield already allow natural burials.

Be sure to follow Medford Patch on Facebook!