AUSTRALIA, March 11, 2008: South Australia’s largest cemetery commissioned a study into the environmental impacts of cremations and burials. The study found it was better for people to be cremated, compared with the long-term impact of burials, even though four times as much carbon dioxide was produced during the initial cremation process.
“On the day that a cremation or burial takes place, the volume of carbon dioxide produced is higher for cremation than for burial,” Centennial Park chief executive Bryan Elliott said. “The report found that each cremation at Centennial Park generates approximately 160kg (352 pounds) of carbon dioxide equivalent.
“Each burial at Centennial Park generates approximately 39kg (86 pounds) of CO2. “However, when the long-term environmental footprint is considered, burials at Centennial Park have a 10 per cent greater impact than cremations. “This is because we must look after the gravesite for a number of years by watering and mowing the surrounding lawn area and maintaining the concrete beam on which the headstone is placed.
HPI note: For those who like to know these things, driving a midsize car 1,000 miles a month produces 19.45 pounds of CO2/day. Therefore, your cremation will produce the same amount of CO2 as driving your car for no more than 18 days.