Burial Options:

Here’s a combined list of burial options with their descriptions and references:

1.      In-Ground Burial

2.      Traditional Burial: A coffin or casket is buried in a cemetery plot, often after a funeral service. The body may be embalmed.

a.      Reference: National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)

3.      Natural Burial: The body is buried without embalming in biodegradable materials to allow for natural decomposition. Often in designated "green" cemeteries.

a.      Reference: Green Burial Council

4.      Cremation: Traditional Cremation: The body is incinerated, and the remaining bone fragments are pulverized into "ashes." These can be kept in an urn, scattered, or buried.

a.      Reference: Cremation Association of North America (CANA)

5.      Water Cremation (Alkaline Hydrolysis): An eco-friendly process where the body is broken down using water and lye, leaving behind liquid and bone, which is turned into ashes.

a.   Reference: https://funerals.org/

6.      Above-Ground Burial: Mausoleum Burial: The body is entombed in a structure like a family mausoleum or columbarium, instead of being buried underground.

a.      Reference: International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association (ICCFA)

7.      Crypt Burial: Similar to a mausoleum, the body is stored in a sealed vault or crypt, above ground.

a.      https://www.us-funerals.com/

8.      Jewish Traditional Burial: Describes the Jewish traditions for Death, Burial and Mourning.

a.      https://rohatynjewishheritage.org/en/culture/death-burial-mourning/

9.      Sea Burial: The body or ashes are placed into the ocean, often regulated by laws. Full-body sea burials require the use of biodegradable materials.

a.      Reference: EPA: Burial at Sea Regulations

10. Resomation (Biocremation): A method that involves dissolving the body using alkaline hydrolysis, leaving only bones that are processed into ashes. It is considered eco-friendly.

a.      Reference: Resomation.com

11. Promession: The body is freeze-dried using liquid nitrogen and then vibrated to break it into powder. The remains can be buried in a biodegradable container.

a.      Reference: Promessa

12. Recomposition (Human Composting):A process where the body is placed in a controlled environment and transformed into soil over several weeks. Often referred to as "natural organic reduction."

a.      Reference: Recompose

13. Burial at Sea for Ashes: For cremated remains, they can be scattered at sea using special urns that biodegrade in water, in accordance with maritime laws.

a.      Reference: EPA: Burial of Cremated Remains

14. Donation to Science: The body is donated to medical institutions for research or education. Afterward, the body may be cremated or returned to the family for burial.

a.      Reference: Science Care, MedCure

15. Sky Burial (Tibetan Tradition): The body is left on a mountaintop to decompose naturally or be consumed by birds, following Tibetan Buddhist spiritual traditions.

a.      Reference: Tibetan Sky Burial

16. Mushroom Burial (Infinity Burial Suit): A biodegradable suit with mushroom spores that helps decompose the body and remove toxins from the soil during decomposition.

a.      Reference: Coeio

17. Cryonics: The body is frozen at extremely low temperatures in hopes that future technology may revive it.

a.      Reference: Cryonics Institute

18. Space Burial: A portion of cremated remains is sent into space on a spaceflight, either to orbit the Earth or be released into deep space.

Reference: Celestis Memorial Spaceflights