Have you thought about what you want done with your body after you die? I hadn't either until I started mortuary school. Guess what? There's a lot more ways of disposition than we are aware of.
So here are some of the mainstream final disposition options available:
Burial:
- Ground Burial
- Direct Burial (no funeral services)
- Mausoleum (above ground)
- Entombment (Crypt)
- Natural/Green Burial (no embalming, no casket)
- Cremation with burial of the ashes
Cremation:
- Above ground burial in a columbarium
- Scattering of ashes
- Urn kept at home
- Direct Cremation
Burial Alternatives:
- Alkaline Hydrolysis
- Burial at sea
- Body Donation
- Compositing
Now, I'm sure you're aware of how a normal burial (of any kind) takes place and even cremation. Let's get into cremation a bit and the alternative options and talk about them a little farther.
Cremation: The burning of a dead body to reduce it to ashes. The large bone fragments that are left are essentially blended and crushed by the cremulator into a fine powder. Note that if you have a pace maker, it will be removed because it could potentially blow up and burn the building down. Weird fact? If a rather large person is cremated a grease fire could happen.
Alkaline Hydrolysis (water cremation): The body is placed in a pressure vessel that is then filled with a mixture of water and potassium hydroxide, and heated to a temperature about 320 degrees F, but at an elevated pressure to prevent boiling. The body is effectively broken down into its chemical components. It takes roughly 4 to 6 hours to complete. It's currently only legal in 15 states including: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming. Now, I say that it's legal in these states, BUT only available in 9 states! Also, other states allow water cremation for pets but not humans.
Burial/Scattering at Sea: This is just what it sounds like. The human remains or ashes are put into the ocean. It must take place at least 3 nautical miles from land in waters at least 600 feet deep (does not apply to ashes). As of now only those who have served in the Navy can have a sea burial.
Body Donation: Ever heard of donating your body to science? Yep, that's what this is. However, there are so many pl
aces your body can go. You could be a cadaver for a medical school or you could go to a body farm. A body farm? Yes, a body farm. Human remains lay openly exposed to the elements. Some bodies are covered with plastic or clothing, some are naked, some are buried, some hand from scaffolds or are in the trunks of cars. They're all to be studied as they decay. Click the link below to learn more.
Composting: Now this is a new one; like brand spanking new. The first human compositing funeral home in the U.S. is now open for business. It's called Recompose. They literally convert your body back to soil. This is known as natural organic reduction. Pretty eco friendly if you ask me.
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