Cremation's Environmental Impact: Pollution And Solutions

Cremation is a widely used method of corpse treatment, with over 375,000 cremations taking place annually in the UK and 59% of Americans opting for cremation in 2022. Despite being marketed as a green alternative to traditional burial, cremation has a significant environmental impact. The process requires fossil fuels and releases harmful air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and particulate matter. The cremation of caskets containing metals and plastics further contributes to pollution. While cremation produces less waste than traditional burial, it still generates garbage in the form of ashes.

Cremation uses fossil fuels and creates air pollution

Cremation is a process that uses fossil fuels and creates air pollution. It has surpassed burials as the most popular end-of-life option in the United States, with 59% of deaths in 2022 opting for cremation. Despite being marketed as a more environmentally friendly option, cremation has a significant environmental impact.

The cremation process requires a lot of energy, which is typically produced by burning fossil fuels. The Cremation Association of North America estimates that a single cremation consumes as much energy as driving 310 miles (500 kilometers) by car. This high energy usage contributes to air pollution, as cremations produce harmful air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. The average cremation releases about 534.6 pounds of carbon dioxide, with an estimated total of 360,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions from cremations in the US each year.

In addition to the combustion of fossil fuels, cremation also contributes to air pollution through the release of vaporized mercury from dental fillings, emissions of heavy metals, and the incineration of plastics and metals in cremation caskets. These pollutants can have adverse effects on both human health and the environment. While crematoria may have filtering systems to reduce certain pollutants, they do not neutralize the CO2 generated by the cremation process.

The environmental impact of cremation varies depending on the specific practices and technologies used. For example, the use of clean energy sources or eco-friendly urns can help reduce the carbon footprint of cremation. Additionally, the recycling of metals from cremated remains can offset a large portion of the fossil fuels and carbon output associated with the process. However, it is important to recognize that cremation, as currently practiced, has a significant environmental impact due to its use of fossil fuels and resulting air pollution.

It releases harmful air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter

Cremation is often marketed as a more environmentally friendly option than traditional burial. However, it does release harmful air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are released during the cremation process and are known to have adverse health and environmental impacts. They contribute to air pollution and can cause or aggravate respiratory issues.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is another dangerous emission released during cremation. It is a toxic gas that, at high levels, can be harmful to human health and the environment.

Particulate matter (PM) refers to tiny particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. These particles can be released during the cremation process and, due to their small size, can be inhaled and cause respiratory and cardiovascular issues.

To mitigate the release of these pollutants, crematoriums often have scrubbing or filtering systems. For example, a flue gas post-treatment system can significantly reduce the emission concentrations of particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and other harmful pollutants.

While cremation does release these harmful air pollutants, it is important to note that traditional burial methods also have environmental impacts, such as the unsustainable consumption of land and the burying of metals, wood, and chemicals.

Mercury vapour is released by dental fillings during cremation

Cremation is a fossil fuel-driven process with high carbon emissions, contributing to air pollution. It requires high energy usage, with temperatures ranging from 1200 to 2000°F, and an average cremation taking two hours. Crematoria also emit pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter, which have adverse health and environmental impacts.

One of the significant concerns associated with cremation is the release of mercury vapour from dental fillings. Dental amalgam, a mixture containing approximately 50% mercury, is used in fillings. When individuals with these fillings are cremated, the high temperatures cause the mercury to vaporize and be released into the atmosphere. This is a known source of mercury pollution, with an estimated 1.2 grams of mercury emitted per body cremated in British Columbia, resulting in nearly 36 kilograms of mercury released in the province in 2016.

The amount of mercury released varies depending on the number of fillings and the type of material used. The use of newer high-copper amalgams, which are less stable, has resulted in a greater release of mercury vapour. These newer amalgams emit about ten times more mercury than the fillings used before the 1970s. The World Health Organization has emphasized the importance of reducing the use of dental amalgam to decrease human exposure to mercury and mitigate its environmental impact.

While cremation facilities may have scrubbing or filtering systems to reduce mercury emissions, the effectiveness of these systems can be influenced by factors such as operating temperature and residence time in the secondary combustion chamber. Additionally, the removal of dental fillings before cremation is often considered impractical and unpopular. As a result, cremation continues to be a source of mercury pollution, contributing to air, water, and food contamination, with potential negative consequences for human health.

Cremation is less wasteful than traditional burial but still produces garbage in the form of ashes

Cremation is often marketed as a more environmentally friendly option than traditional burial. Traditional burial involves the unsustainable consumption of valuable urban land, as well as the burying of huge quantities of metal, wood, and chemicals.

However, cremation is not without its environmental impact. It requires fossil fuels and creates air pollution. Cremation also generates garbage in the form of ashes, which, if not properly disposed of, can cause damage to the surrounding area. The cremation process results in the release of emissions of greenhouse gases, notably carbon dioxide, which is a contributor to climate change. The average cremation in the US produces an estimated 534.6 pounds of carbon dioxide, with cremations in the country accounting for about 360,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions each year.

In addition, cremation produces other pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. These pollutants have adverse health and environmental impacts and contribute to air pollution. The burning of cremation caskets also releases vaporized mercury from dental fillings, heavy metals, and plastics, which cause further pollutants when incinerated.

Despite these concerns, cremation is still a less wasteful option than traditional burial. It generates far less trash and can be made more environmentally friendly through measures such as selecting a cremation that operates on clean energy or choosing an urn made from eco-friendly materials.

There are also alternative disposition methods that are more environmentally friendly than both traditional burial and cremation, such as alkaline hydrolysis, which has about a tenth of the carbon footprint of conventional cremation, and green burial, which removes many of the environmentally damaging aspects of conventional burial.

Alkaline hydrolysis is a more environmentally-friendly alternative to cremation

Cremation is often marketed as a more environmentally friendly option than traditional embalmment and casket burial. However, it does have an environmental impact. The cremation process requires fossil fuels and creates air pollution. It involves temperatures of between 1,200 and 2,000°F, with the average cremation taking two hours, resulting in a significant energy requirement. Cremation also releases emissions of greenhouse gases, notably carbon dioxide, which contributes to climate change.

Alkaline hydrolysis is an eco-friendly alternative to burial and cremation. It is a disposition method that uses heat, pressure, water, and lye in a dedicated hydrolysis chamber. The process uses a large quantity of water and is sometimes known as "water cremation". It is also referred to as "aquamation", "biocremation", or "flameless cremation". Alkaline hydrolysis has about a tenth of the carbon footprint of conventional cremation. It requires only about a quarter of the energy of flame cremation and does not rely on fossil fuels. It therefore does not produce carbon dioxide emissions on the same scale as traditional cremation. As a result, alkaline hydrolysis can be considered a green funeral option.

The benefits of alkaline hydrolysis are mainly environmental. The process is slower and involves a gentler reduction than the relatively quick process of flame cremation. It uses water and a strong alkali solution to break down the body, resulting in a much smaller ecological footprint. It consumes less energy and releases no emissions. The byproduct is a sterile liquid that safely returns to the water cycle, causing no harm to the environment. This method also reduces the strain on cemetery space, as it allows for a more sustainable way to handle remains.

Alkaline hydrolysis stands as a noteworthy shift in how we approach end-of-life rituals. Its gentle environmental footprint, combined with a process that’s less harsh than flame-based cremation, positions it not just as an alternative but as a potentially more sustainable future norm in funeral services. As societies become more eco-conscious, the demand for such eco-friendly options is likely to increase, potentially making alkaline hydrolysis a common choice for those planning for the inevitable.

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