Eco-burials consultation opens

Sunlight streaming through woodland
Eco-burials usually take place in sites that help preserve nature and wildlife.

Would you welcome options for eco-friendly funerals in Rotherham? That’s the question the Council is putting to residents, and to professionals involved in providing bereavement services.

Eco-burials, also known as green burials or natural burials, are growing in popularity. Environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional funerals include using biodegradable coffins or shrouds and avoiding harsh embalming chemicals. They usually take place in sites that help to preserve nature and wildlife – such as natural burial grounds, or designated woodland burial sites within larger cemeteries.

Rotherham Council's Cabinet Member for Waste, Roads and Community Safety Cllr Emma Hoddinott said: “In the coming years Rotherham Council will need to create additional space for burials. We’re keen do that in a way that meets resident’s wishes and protects the natural environment.

“The first step is to ask people if they would welcome the choice of being buried or having their ashes interred in a more natural setting, instead of a traditional cemetery.”

There are currently nine cemeteries owned and managed by Rotherham Council spread across the borough. Some of these will be reaching their full capacity in the next few years, meaning additional space will need to be created.

The consultation will assess the level of interest in different aspects of green funeral and burial options, with a view to the Council running a pilot project if the demand is there.

You can complete the consultation on our website, until Sunday 14 February 2021.

Published: 19th January 2021