Green Burial in Washington State

​When I became a widow a decade ago, “green burial” was not common, even though the age-old practice had been revived starting in the 1990s. In recent years, however, it is receiving more attention as concern for the earth grows. It is legal in Washington state, so here are a few basic things to know:

1. Green burial is after-death care in which the key word is biodegradable.

-There is no embalming of a body using toxic chemicals. If embalming takes place, non-toxic and biodegradable fluids are used.

-The body is not buried using a metal casket, vault liner, or other nonbiodegradable materials. Instead, the body is placed in a wooden casket or a fiber shroud.

-The body is then placed into the ground where it naturally decomposes.

2. There are many funeral homes in the greater Seattle area that will prepare the body in the manner described above. Call the funeral home you are considering or consult their website to see if they offer green burial services.

3. Once the body has been prepared, it can be placed:

- In an exclusively “natural burial” cemetery.

- In a “conservation burial ground.” (These are usually in non-urban areas associated with parks, preserves, or protected land.)

- In a “hybrid,” or traditional cemetery where there is a section set aside for natural burial.

4. The cost of a green burial is often less since some products, such as vault liner, will be omitted; however, the cost of purchasing a burial plot may be the same or more, depending on the natural burial cemetery option chosen. As with any type of after-death care, it’s difficult to compare costs because there are so many factors and personal preferences to consider.

5. There is an organization that was founded in 2005 to establish standards for cemeteries, funeral homes, and product providers of green burial: the Green Burial Council. Their website contains helpful information as well as a list of funeral providers and cemeteries in Washington state that have been GBC-certified. Click HERE to view funeral providers (scroll to bottom of page for Washington) and click HERE to view cemeteries.

(Note: Funeral providers/cemeteries not on this list may have elected not to seek certification from GBC but that doesn't necessarily mean they don't adhere to established standards. Due diligence is advised.)

There are pros and cons to green burial. Obviously, it is better for the environment as harmful chemicals (used in traditional burial) and emissions (from cremation) are eliminated. It may also be less expensive than traditional burial. But it does require land, which means that whatever space local cemeteries may have set aside for green burial may be limited. (The US is already running out of cemetery space in urban areas.) As a widow, you may not wish to drive many hours to “visit” your spouse’s gravesite in a natural cemetery or conservation burial ground. There are also restrictions on headstones/grave markers to consider.

Green burial is only one of the “Green Options” widows may want to know about. In my next post I will explain the difference between “green burial” and other forms of ecologically conscious death care.

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