RE: [greenyes] burial methods

["Reindl, John" <Reindl@no.address>]

In the freeze-dried method, not only do the remains get returned to earth,
but the process allows for the recovery of mercury amalgam from dental
fillings (the material is screen before being composted), which in cremation
goes into the atmosphere and in burial, there is the potential of it getting
into the soil and groundwater. The average corpse has the mercury contents
of 10 typical household fever thermometers.

John Reindl
Dane County, WI 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Nancy Meyer Queen of All Good Things [mailto:nancy@no.address]
> Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2003 11:58 AM
> To: greenyes@no.address
> Subject: [greenyes] burial methods
> 
> 
> At the risk of sounding morbid, insensitive and stirring up all sorts of
> religious issues, I thought I'd share the following:
> 
> Swedish scientists are working on a process whereby a deceased person is
> freeze-dried, placed in a biodegradable cornstarch coffin and composted.
> 
> for more info, scroll down to the question on human composting
> http://www.identitytheory.com/interviews/roach_interview.html
> 
> Short of organ donation and medical research, I always thought cremation
was
> the only sane way to process dead people (standard burial methods being
> tremendously nonbiodegradable), but this may have it beat in that it just
> might take less energy.  Hopefully, both cremation and freeze-drying
> processes do make sure that all metal plates, artificial joints and other
> bionic parts are removed first.
> 
> Anyone know of any other green solutions to the "ultimate 
> disposal problem"?
> Any communities doing anything to promote things like this?
> 
> Yours in leaving no trace,
> 
> NMeyer
> 
> 
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