It is possible – but you will need the help of a funeral director willing to support your wish to conduct a home funeral. New York law does allow for a person to dedicate private land for use as a family cemetery. It cannot exceed 3 acres and not be located within 300 feet of a dwelling.
Can you be buried without a casket in New York?
No law requires a casket for burial. However, you should check with the cemetery; it may have rules requiring a certain type of container. Cremation.
Is aquamation legal in New York?
Aquamation for Pets is approved everywhere in the United States and Canada.
In what states is natural burial legal?
Home burials are legal in all but Arkansas, California, Indiana, Louisiana, Washington state, and the District of Columbia, with some states stating that burials must be in established cemeteries; however, one can establish a family cemetery on one’s own property by following state and local regulations and/or filing
Can I be buried without embalming?
“No state requires embalming as a condition of being buried. No state law requires a coffin or casket. No state requires a concrete vault.” Still, he acknowledged that many who choose green burial may prefer not to be put in the ground between plots with vaults, caskets and embalmed bodies.
Can I be buried on my property in NY state?
While some communities may have local regulations on this matter, there are no state regulations concerning burial on private property.
What can you do instead of being buried?
What are the alternatives to a standard burial?
- Cremation. This is disposal of your body by burning it at very high temperatures in a crematorium.
- Natural or “eco” burial.
- Burial at sea.
- Donating your body to medical science.
Is green burial legal in NY?
The alternative to burying or cremating human remains allows facilities to use natural organic reduction for decomposing bodies in an above-ground container and then transforming the remains into soil. The state Senate passed the bill in a 61-2 vote last month, and the NYS Assembly passed it 98-52 on Wednesday.
What happens to the liquid after aquamation?
What happens to to the leftover liquid? A by-product of aquamation is a green-brown, sterile liquid containing peptides, amino acids, sugars, and salts, all by-products of natural decomposition. This liquid can be disposed of through the sewer or wastewater treatment system.
What is a wet cremation?
Alkaline hydrolysis (also called biocremation, resomation, flameless cremation, aquamation or water cremation) is a process for the disposal of human and pet remains using lye and heat, and is an alternative to burial or cremation.
Can you bury a casket in your backyard?
There are no laws that prohibit home burial, You must check local zoning laws for restrictions on home burials. It is also legally required to use a funeral director, even if you are burying on private land. Embalming is only required if a person died of a contagious disease.
Can I be buried without a casket?
Caskets and The Law
No state law requires use of a casket for burial or cremation. If a burial vault is being used, there is no inherent requirement to use a casket. A person can be directly interred in the earth, in a shroud, or in a vault without a casket.
What is the difference between a green burial and a natural burial?
Green burials do away with both the embalming chemicals and the extraneous cement, steel or other non-biodegradable materials conventional burials put into the earth, and lack the carbon footprint of cremation, which has been calculated to be the equivalent of a 500-mile car journey.
Why do they cover the legs in a casket?
It is a common practice to cover the legs as there is swelling in the feet and shoes don’t fit. As part of funeral care, the body is dressed and preserved, with the prime focus on the face. Post embalming, bodies are often placed without shoes; hence covering the legs is the way to offer a dignified funeral.
Do morticians sew mouths shut?
Eyes and lips are not sewn or glued shut. During the embalming process, an “eye cap” is placed under each eyelid and over the eyeball. The eyes themselves may soften a little over time, but the eye cap helps to retain the shape of the eye. A Vaseline-like cream is placed on the lips to keep them together.
What is a grave without a body called?
Cenotaph – a grave where the body is not present; a memorial erected as over a grave, but at a place where the body has not been interred. A cenotaph may look exactly like any other grave in terms of marker and inscription.
Can I bury my mom in my backyard?
According to California law, anyone who “deposits or disposes of any human remains in any place, except in a cemetery, is guilty of a misdemeanor” and could face jail time or a fine up to $10,000.
Does NYS require embalming?
No, embalming is not required by New York State Law; however, depending on the type of memorial service chosen, the individual funeral firm may require it. Is a Casket Necessary?
How long can a body be refrigerated without embalming?
Instead of preparing the body with chemicals, morticians will store it in a fridge that keeps the body at two degrees Celsius. However, like embalming, it’s important to remember that this merely slows the decomposition process – it doesn’t stop it. A refrigerated body will last three to four weeks.
What is the cheapest alternative to a funeral?
Cremation
Cremation
Cremation is far more affordable than a traditional funeral. Its costs are often 10% of what you’d expect to pay for a conventional burial. That’s why over 53% of Americans now choose cremation. Cremation involves placing the deceased within a cremation container.
How long can you last if you’re buried alive?
(Note: If you’re buried alive and breathing normally, you’re likely to die from suffocation. A person can live on the air in a coffin for a little over five hours, tops. If you start hyperventilating, panicked that you’ve been buried alive, the oxygen will likely run out sooner.)