# Is cremation bad for the environment?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cremation-bad-for-the-environment/74365>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 31, 2001, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cremation-bad-for-the-environment/74365 "2001-07-31T18:25:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cremation-bad-for-the-environment/74365/21 "2001-08-01T21:55:55Z")

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[QUOTE]  
\*Originally posted by Akatsukami \*  
Burning _is_ the ultimate in recycling.

[QUOTE]

What about cannibalism?

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**Author:** ![lucwarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@lucwarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucwarm)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cremation-bad-for-the-environment/74365/22 "2001-08-01T22:02:35Z")

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Oh by the way, I thought I’d be the first person to do it . . .

[charlton heston] Soylent green is people!!! [/charlton heston]

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**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cremation-bad-for-the-environment/74365/23 "2001-08-02T00:50:22Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Broomstick \*  
> **Container: now, if you use some sort of elaborate, highly varnished thing you might start getting into toxic paints and such, but most cremations cost less than burials, and there’s no reason not to use a bare-bones (sorry) container since you’re just going to burn it. Heck, use a heavy-duty cardboard to make the box.**

You **can** get a cardboard box for cremation; it costs about $100.  
If a funeral director insists you pick out a $5,000 casket to cremate with your dear departed, find another funeral home immediately.

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**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2001, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cremation-bad-for-the-environment/74365/24 "2001-08-06T09:29:23Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Akatsukami \*  
> \*\*_Everything_ is, technically, bad for the environment. The question becomes, is cremation in the amounts anticipated worse for the environment than it can tolerate? \*\*

Nah - almost anything that impacts the environment is tolerable on it’s own - it’s the accumulation of insults you worry about.

The question is, are there better alternatives?

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