About Burial Shrouds

A burial shroud is a distinguished wrap for the body; also referred to as burial sheets, winding-cloths or winding sheets. Shrouds can be made from white cotton, wool, linen or other material that is made of natural fibers. 

The shrouded body can be delicately carried with attached natural woven straps or inserted bamboo poles, and transported by hand to the natural setting. The shrouded body may simply be laid directly into a casket, or easily carried alone. Shroudage is much lighter than the usual (100 lb. to 300 lb.) weight of a casket.

The folds and ties of this shroud (at right) are patterned after a Japanese gift wrapping method, where presents are enclosed in material, not paper.


Shroud of Turin

The Shroud of Turin dates back to the Middle Ages, likely between 1260 and 1390. It's made of herringbone twill, composed of flax fibrils, sized 14.3 ft. by 2.7 ft.

Shroud of Grushetskaya

This was Agafya Grushetskaya's shroud, daughter of Russian Noble, Semyon Fyodorovich Grushetsky & Mariya Ivanovna Zaborovskaya, she married Tsar Feodor III of Russia, becoming Queen (Tsaritsa). She died in 1681, aged 18, from childbirth complications.

When are burial shrouds used?

Some religions require the use of a burial shroud wrapped around the body prior to burial. For example, Jews use a burial shroud or "Tachrichim" and Muslims use burial shrouds of white cotton or linen shroud referred to as "Al kafan". 

The shroud is often wrapped around the body and the wrapped body is placed inside the casket for burial. Green burial grounds usually require the use of either a biodegradable casket or a natural burial shroud for burials in their cemeteries.

If you choose burial, would you use a burial shroud? Why or why not?

What is Hydro Cremation?

Let's take a scientific look at the Alkaline Hydrolysis process.

When we die, autolysis is the natural method of decomposition, just as food in the intestine is digested and transformed into nutrients by protease. Human bodies are 70% water and when buried under the earth we decompose, as the body compounds separate into simpler substances by action of microbial and/or autolytic enzymes. Lysosomes are organelles within cells that contain hydrolytic enzymes (lysozymes) that break down proteins and certain carbohydrates. This enzymatic action continues to occur after death.

Hydro Cremation is the water reduction process, known scientifically as Alkaline Hydrolysis. The hydro cremation process uses water instead of fire. Hydrolysis is a process of breaking apart with an enzyme. The addition of water into a chemical bond with the help of enzymes leads to cleavage.

The Alkaline hydrolysis process has been used worldwide in laboratory and research applications. It is a fully automated process of pressure, high temperature, and alkalinity to accelerate the natural process of tissue hydrolysis decomposition by using a strong alkali (pH 14) to solubilize and hydrolyze tissue, expedited by heat at 150°C in a pressurized vessel. The integral load cells weigh the body and the appropriate amount of water and alkali are added automatically to the vessel.

The vessel is quickly heated via steam to around 150°C (~300°F) and the body is resolved to its component elements. The entire process is complete in 2-3 hours. This process generates a solution of amino acids, peptides, sugars, and soap (salts of fatty acids) that is suitable and safe for release into the environment. The process is environmentally friendly because it does not generate air pollution and the embalming fluid is neutralized into a harmless chemical compound. It incurs 20 times less CO₂ emissions vs. average cremation. It is energy efficient, using 1/10th the energy per body versus cremation. It allows possible salvage of surgically-inserted foreign items in the body, like pacemakers, replacement joints and pins, which remain sterile and intact for recovery and possible re-use. It is projected that within 5 years hundreds of machines will be in use in California, Oregon, and Washington.

By mimicking a body’s natural chemical process of decomposition, it breaks down the human chemical makeup of 65% Oxygen, 18% Carbon, 10% Hydrogen, 3% Nitrogen, 1.5% Calcium, 1% Phosphorus and 1.5% total of remaining additional elements, reducing CO₂ emissions in the process.

The Alkaline Hydrolysis Process

• A body is placed into the Aquapyre, hydrocremation unit.
• The vessel is filled with an alkali solution of 95 percent water with 5 percent potassium hydroxide.
• The solution and flow reduces the remains into amino acids, small peptides, sugars, nutrients, and soapy lather.
• After rinsing, drying and processing, a pure white ash is returned to the family.

 

Benefits of Hydro Cremation (Alkaline Hydrolysis)

• No harmful mercury emissions.
• Far less energy used than in traditional cremation.
• No burning of caskets.
• Cleaner - No emitting of toxins or dioxins into the atmosphere.
• Less carbon dioxide production than incineration cremation.
• Bone ash remains are 100% unique to the individual
• Byproducts enrich soil chemistry.
• The bone ash (Calcium Phosphate) are 100% sterile completely neutralized disease and pathogen free.
  

Did You Know About Water Burial in Tibet?

In Tibet, "Water Burial" is practiced. This is where bodies are placed in lakes to decompose naturally. The alkaline hydrolysis process is essentially the same type of disposition with the exception of the length of time it takes for the body to be reduced to ash.

Please share your thoughts on the Hydro Cremation. Will you choose hydro cremation? Why or why not?

Concerns: Cremation Emissions, Toxins and Air Quality

Some Americans are concerned that traditional cremations are actually environmentally problematic. They are only 10% greener than a traditional burial. The energy consumed in cremating bodies at temperatures of more than 900C or the dioxin and other gases released into the atmosphere in the process are seldom considered.

According to "A Guide to Natural Burial", author Ken West, says:

Incineration Cremation vaporizes the water content, soft tissue, and organs and converts them into polluting gases. If an average of two cremators are operated at the 260 UK crematoria during each working day, then every 90 minutes, the average time taken to complete a cremation, 520 bodies are incinerated together with 520 chipboard coffins, and plastic/fabric coffin liners and 2,080 plastic handles plus the gas used. Add to this an assumed 6 amalgam-filled teeth per body, a total of 3,120 mercury fillings, the emissions of which will drift on westerly winds and deposit through precipitation in the sea. The cod, plaice and other fish absorb this mercury through the food chain, which we ultimately eat.

Many crematoria are situated in densely populated areas. They release harmful emissions such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrogen chloride, sulphur dioxide, dioxins, furans, formaldehyde, and mercury; as well as tiny portions of dust, called particulates.

These combination of emissions and particulates are adding to those fron industrial processes, vehicles, and central heating boilers. This air pollution exceeds prescribed EU levels in many UK cities and contributes to respiration problems.

The government has accepted that mercury emissions pose a threat to human health and, by agreement with the federation of British Cremation Authorities (FBCA) at least 50% of cremations will be abated by the end of 2012.

Some metal residue remains after each after each cremation, hitherto interred in the crematorium grounds and a potential ground water pollution threat. Of the 260  crematoria, only 160 (62%) recycled this waste by 2009.

South Australia, research suggested that a conventional burial created 39kgs of carbon compared to unabated cremation at 160kgs.

It is important to note here that purchasing carbon credits with an incineration cremation, does not remove the toxins from the air that the cremation process itself produces.

Some Fire-based Cremation Pollution Facts

• 16 gallons of gasoline is the equivalency "that each human cremation uses up", about when an SUV burns in nearly a 200-mile trip.
• 32% Americans cremated each year.
• 1% Increase of cremations each year in the USA.
• 16% Mercury emissions in the UK as a result of gasses released during cremation.
• 278 lbs. per year of Mercury Emissions in the US from cremation, that is "based on an average of 7 amalgam fillings per baby boomer."
• 0.2% Global emission of dioxins and furans caused by cremation.
• 42% Of cremated bodies that contain either metal or plastic implants that contribute to the dioxin release during cremation.
• 10% Greener than traditional burial in a traditional gravesite.
• 1,000 to 7,800 Pounds of Mercury released annually by cremations in the USA alone.
• 83 Trips to the moon from the USA and back = the amount of energy spent to process 1 years worth of cremations in the USA.

Fire-based Cremation Emissions Hurt the Environment and our Air Quality

The process of cremation involves burning the often-embalmed remains with their caskets,

releasing fossil fuels into the air including:

• Dioxin
  
• hydrochloric acid
• hydrofluoric acid
• sulfur dioxide
• carbon dioxide
• nitrogen oxides
• carbon monoxide
• particulate matter
• mercury
• hydrogen fluoride
• hydrogen chloride
• and other heavy metals into the atmosphere.

Although special filters are designed to reduce mercury emissions during the cremation process, toxic chemicals from the embalming fluid still escape into the earth’s atmosphere.

Please share your thoughts on cremation. 

Will you choose cremation for yourself? Why or why not?

Are you worried about air quality in your city or state?