 | By Abby RussoCommunications Intern |
Richmond’s very own Hollywood Cemetery was originally conceived to be a “garden cemetery” where notable Virginians could be buried and us lowly citizens could enjoy the views. It was placed to have a sweeping landscape and scenic overlook, but it appears to be the exception to the rule. Most pre-existing cemeteries have been built without research into their location, which is much more significant than you might think. As it turns out, there are many unintended consequences that result from the placement of cemeteries that until recently have gone largely unresearched.
Cemetery placement is important, for one, because there are quite a few pollutants buried beneath them. Traditional wooden caskets contain many toxic chemicals from the varnish on decorative wood that are exposed in the soil. Traditional caskets also tend to be embellished with metals that can corrode and degrade into harmful toxins—talk about spooky! These toxins become especially harmful when they leach through the soil into groundwater used by residents nearby. Another unexpected pollutant comes from natural organic matter, which poses a significant threat because it can make groundwater unusable or non potable.
Historically, arsenic was used to preserve remains before they were interred, and as a result, still remains in soil and groundwater. Now formaldehyde is used instead of arsenic, which becomes inert in the ground but still poses instead significant health risks for those who work in the funereal industry. The smell is also the bane of 7th-grade science classes everywhere--frog dissection anyone?
The soil type in cemeteries and height of groundwater are both significant to determining whether the location of a cemetery will create potential environmental harm because of its pollutants. Current studies are looking into the optimum soil types and geological formations that can absorb or divert pollutants to minimize their impact on local groundwater. The height of groundwater also becomes an important consideration because pathogens can settle near the top of soil, making surface water most at risk for contamination.
In response to the long history of traditional burial and its unintended consequences, the Green Burial Movement took hold in the late ‘90s when Billy Campbell opened the first modern green cemetery in South Carolina. Most notably, green burials require the use of biodegradable caskets and prohibit the use of embalming fluid. While fairly straightforward, the environmental benefits of green burial are manifold. They promote rural conservation and open space, restore natural habitats, and return nutrients to land. Still, though the movement has grown, there are still obstacles preventing it from becoming more widespread.
Some objections are purely pragmatic – green burials tend to be expensive and green cemeteries still as aren’t as widespread as some people would like. Other hindrances are based on misconceptions toward green burials, including its legality and safety. Contrary to some beliefs, green burial is legal in all fifty states. Also, disease does not spread any more easily as a result of green burials in comparison to traditional burials.
It might sound a little “hippie-dippie,” as they say, but the Green Burial Movement presents many environmental benefits that traditional burial practices don’t. Despite misconceptions about green burial and a lack of widespread information about the consequences of traditional cemeteries, the movement appears to have a long future ahead of it. As for me, I would spend time in Hollywood Cemetery anyday, but that might just be my inner-Richmonder.