Eco-Friendly Funerals offer a range of environmentally-friendly options for caskets, embalming, cremation and burial at selected funeral firms throughout New Zealand.
These options are outlined in more detail below.
The most environmentally friendly casket we recommend is made of untreated radiata pine with either hemp rope or solid pine handles. The pine comes from a renewable resource and no chemicals are used in its production.
It has a plywood base and is lined with unbleached calico. A wool mattress is also available. The casket can be plain, oiled, or beeswaxed on the surface.
All our 16 locations can access these caskets and many will have them on display. Other environmentally friendly caskets we can supply include:
Our funeral firms have a range of eco-friendly caskets and urns available. Please ask one of our funeral directors through the link on the right of this page if you want to know more.
Embalming, carried out to ensure hygienic preservation and natural presentation of the body, involves the use of formaldehyde mixed in water. Formaldehyde occurs naturally in the body in trace amounts to produce DNA.
When cremated, the formaldehyde in an embalmed body is completely destroyed. When an embalmed body is buried, the formaldehyde breaks down in the soil over time due to natural processes.
We have a range of embalming fluids available that contain no or low levels of formaldehyde, although they are not entirely solvent free. Ask one of our funeral directors if a formaldehyde-free solution is appropriate. This can depend on the cause of death, climactic conditions and length of the viewing time.
Burial: We are able to arrange burial at Makara Cemetery (near Wellington), which specialises in “natural” burials, through the “Approved” status of one of our sister funeral firms. Please feel free to ask about the transport and other costs involved.
To qualify for burial at Makara the body cannot be embalmed, the coffin must be of untreated sustainable wood, and bodies are buried as close to the “active soil layer” as possible. Plots are filled with “aerobic, organically active soil” including compost to help enrich the soil. A native tree is planted at the head or base of the plot and over time, other trees are planted over the plot, with the intention of the area being returned to native bush. A wooden post is sunk into the ground to mark the plot. Inscriptions are burnt on. Details are recorded by the council. Artificial memorials are not allowed and only biodegradable artefacts can be buried with the body. Ashes are not allowed.
There is also a special section of Waikumete Cemetery in Auckland and another at Carterton in the Wairarapa that specialise in “natural” burials. Another three are expected to open soon in the Nelson, Tasman Bay and Golden Bay areas.
Cremation: Modern cremators are clean burning and emissions are kept to a minimum. Cremation destroys embalming chemicals. However, the cremation process uses gas, a non renewable energy resource.
If you decide on cremation, our funeral directors can provide a range of biodegradable urns, handmade from natural materials including silk, leather and handmade paper, suitable for having at home for a time. Later, if the ashes are interred or scattered, the urn can become a remembrance box for mementos.
It is inevitable that a funeral procession, often involving numerous cars travelling from the chapel to the cemetery or crematorium, will leave a carbon footprint. All our vehicles are serviced regularly to ensure they are running at optimum fuel efficiency.
Cut garden flowers should be the eco-friendly preference. Bought flowers should be tied with a natural fabric ribbon and not be wrapped in plastic. Funeral wreaths and sprays should not include polystyrene foam and a minimum of wire.
We provide orders of service for most funerals. Please ask if you would like these printed on recycled, unbleached or similar paper.