Green Burial in New Hampshire

Bringing Green Burial to New Hampshire

The practice of burying bodies without embalming with toxic chemicals, encasing in metal or rainforest wood caskets, or cement or plastic outer vaults—truly body to earth—is timeless, interrupted only over the past century. Efforts to return to these ancient, eco-friendly ways are gaining momentum across the country and the few places elsewhere in the world that recently adopted American burial practices.

Are you interested in starting green burial space? See Writings>Green Burial for articles and how-tos. Contact us with your questions and set a date for a presentation in your town.

There are no impediments to green burial in New Hampshire other than local cemetery bylaws. NH mandates that each town provide burial space for its residents, so local cemeteries are opportunities for green space. Meet with your elected cemetery trustees to ask that they relax policies that require outer burial vaults. Some of the written materials below may help build your argument that there are greater ideals for our local cemeteries beyond making lawn mowing easier.

To locate green burial cemeteries in NH, check out our comprehensive list of Green Burial Cemeteries in the US and Canada which is updated regularly and shared with various nonprofits throughout the country. Note that some of NH's cemeteries are vaultless because they never adopted the policy of requiring them.

Ensuring Worker Safety
One particular environmental and health concern is embalming, an invasive process with no lasting benefits beyond the cosmetic. It poses a major health hazard to embalmers who reportedly have an 8-times greater chance of contracting leukemia, are at a 3-times higher risk of contracting ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), and a 13-times higher risk of dying earlier than the standard cohort due to COPD, neurological diseases, and cancer. While speaking with your trustees, you may also be able to discuss the use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, which pose a significant health hazard to cemetery maintenance employees, all of which are used sparingly, if at all, in green burial space.

Burial Depth and Animals
Burial depth of 3.5 -4 feet is recommended for creating the optimum conditions for rapid and efficient decomposition. This is where microbes and insects do their best work. This leaves a smell barrier of 18 to 24 inches above the body; the deepest any animal will dig is 12 inches, so nuisance animals are not a problem. Soil is not removed, but layered on top of green burial graves to settle as the body space is displaced.

Protecting New Hampshire Spaces
Natural burial is being welcomed on conservation lands, providing families pristine, natural environments in which to remember their loved ones while supporting the preservation of intrinsically valuable lands in perpetuity. By reducing the amount of steel, copper, and exotic woods that are housed in concrete in the ground through conventional burial, and doing so on lands dedicated to responsible stewardship, burial moves from a dead end to a win/win.

Green Burial Statistics

The following charts detailing the number of green burial cemeteries are based on data gathered by NHFREA for the Green Burial Cemeteries in the US and Canada list. Information for the list is provided by the Green Burial Council, Green Burial Society of Canada, various informants in the industry who supply updates, and regular online searches. All entries rely on first-hand evidence, green cemetery-specific websites, in cemetery bylaws, rules and regulations, or verified by email or phone.

Current Numbers in New Hampshire 5.18.21:
Hybrid 260 Natural 56 Conservation 14
Total = 330

New Hampshire Cemetery Association Survey Results 2019

Learn about pricing and options in New Hampshire cemeteries in this 2019 survey, and let the NHCA know what you think by going to their website. You can contact them at nhcemetery@gmail.com or 603-540-9608 to join or ask for more information.