Are Natural Burials an Option in Minnesota?

Natural burials are an option in Minnesota. The state has several natural and hybrid burial grounds, and Interra Green Burial by Mueller Memorial is certified by the Green Burial Council to provide this service. Although there was a two-year moratorium issued in 2023 on creating new green cemeteries for further study, natural burials can still be performed. The moratorium results are expected in 2025, when it is set to expire.

What is Flameless Cremation?

Flameless cremation, also known as alkaline hydrolysis or water cremation, is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional flame cremation. This process uses a combination of water flow, temperature, and alkalinity to accelerate natural tissue disintegration, resulting in cremated remains that can be buried, kept in an urn, placed at a conservation tree, or scattered.

How Does Flameless Cremation Work?

In flameless cremation, the body is placed in a pressure vessel and submerged in a solution of 95% water and 5% potassium hydroxide and/or sodium hydroxide. The vessel is heated to 200-300 degrees Fahrenheit, which is lower than the temperatures used in traditional flame cremations.

Is Flameless Cremation Environmentally Friendly?

Flameless cremation is significantly more environmentally friendly than traditional methods. It uses lower temperatures, does not burn propane or natural gas, and reduces carbon emissions.

Is Flameless Cremation Safe and Legal?

Flameless cremation is both safe and legal. It ensures environmentally responsible handling of remains, allows for the extraction and recycling of medical implants, and has been legal in Minnesota since its endorsement by the Mayo Clinic for its ecological benefits and efficient handling of medical implants.

How Much Does Flameless Cremation Cost?

The cost of flameless cremation varies by location and funeral home but is generally comparable to or slightly higher than traditional cremation. The specialized equipment and reduced environmental impact often justify the cost for many families.

What is a Natural Burial?

A natural burial is an eco-friendly funeral practice that allows the body to return to the earth in an environmentally conscious manner. It minimizes the use of chemicals, like embalming fluids, and avoids materials like concrete used in traditional burial vaults. By forgoing these practices, natural burial conserves resources, prevents pollution, and reduces carbon footprint.

What is a Natural Burial Option?

Natural burial options include choices for an eco-friendly burial, such as using natural burial caskets, selecting a green burial site, or integrating cremated remains into natural burial grounds.

What is a Natural Burial Cemetery?

A natural burial cemetery, like Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery, is specifically designed for natural burials. These cemeteries have minimal environmental impact and often resemble natural landscapes rather than traditional cemeteries.

How Many Burials Do Not Involve Embalming?

This leaves 885,320 burials with possible embalming. According to former Green Burial Council President, Ed Bixby it’s estimated that 8% of people choose green burials. (3) Whether that includes those people buried without embalming in the Jewish and Muslim traditions, he did not specify, but if we’re generous and say it is 8% of people already choosing burial and are in addition to Jewish and Muslim burials, that would subtract another 70,825 from annual embalmings. This would mean, in the United States there are an estimated 814,500 burials with embalming per year.

How Many Gallons Of Embalming Fluid Are Used Per Person?

Roughly three gallons are used. What percentage of that is formaldehyde depends on the practitioner and what someone considers “embalming fluid”. Rarely, practitioners will use undiluted embalming solution, but the vast majority use a diluted solution.

What Is Embalming Fluid Made Of?

There are generally 16oz of concentrated embalming solution diluted with 112 oz of water to create one gallon of usable embalming fluid. So, each gallon of commonly used embalming fluid is more than 87.5% water. Each manufacturer has a proprietary formula to their 16oz concentrated embalming solution, but according to manufacturer, Dodge’s Safety Data Sheet (10) for their commonly used Metasyn Normal concentrated embalming solution, 1.6-4 oz. (10-25%) is formaldehyde, a regulated carcinogen. Other regulated substances included are up to 0.8 oz each of methanol and propylene glycol, neither of which is a regulated carcinogen.

How Much Embalming Fluid Is Used Per Body?

There is a broad rule of thumb that one gallon of embalming fluid is used per 50 pounds of body weight. But the amount of embalming fluid used also depends on the size of the person. In practice, it generally works out to an average of about 3 gallons of embalming fluid per body, of which up to 12 oz is formaldehyde.

How Many Gallons Of Embalming Fluid Are Buried Each Year In The US?

Each year an estimated 2,443,500 gallons of embalming fluid are buried in the United States. This amount is reached from an estimated 814,500 burials with embalming per year, times three gallons per body. Of those 2,443,500 gallons of embalming fluid used, there are generally up to 4 oz of formaldehyde per gallon, which means roughly 97,740 gallons of formaldehyde are buried with embalmed bodies in the US each year.

Is Green Burial Legal in Minnesota?

Yes, green burial in Minnesota is legal. The state allows for natural burials, where the body is not embalmed and can be buried in a biodegradable coffin or shroud. Minnesota hosts several green cemeteries and allows hybrid cemeteries, which accommodate both traditional and green burials.

Is Green Burial Legal in Arizona?

Snow birds might like to know that Arizona also permits green burials. The state's regulations support eco-friendly burial practices, including the use of biodegradable materials and the option to forgo embalming. This makes Arizona an accommodating place for those wishing to opt for a green burial.

Is Green Burial Illegal in Minnesota Now?

Because of a green burial law that passed in Minnesota in 2022 some people think that green burial is illegal in MN, which is incorrect. As part of the Omnibus bill that passed in 2023 there was a small piece of legislation with a bigger impact, but it did not make green burial illegal in Minnesota. What it did do is create a moratorium on new green burial cemeteries through 2025 when the law is set to expire.

Why Did the Moratorium Happen?

A small group of citizens in Northern Minnesota were upset about a green burial cemetery being established in their community and their concerns turned into legislation requiring the state to fund and study the impact of all-natural burial. It also prohibited any new green cemeteries or conservation burial grounds until July 2025. Being that green burial was the form of disposition for every interred human in history until embalming became popularized during the Civil War, we’re confident that allowing a body to naturally return to the Earth will be found to be safe.

Can I Bury Someone In My Yard?

It depends on local ordinances and how much work you’re willing to do. In Minnesota, if you want to bury a human body on private land, that land has to be identified as cemetery property in perpetuity. This also means that cemetery land would need to a permitted land use in your city’s code and also that specific funding needs to be set aside to maintain that cemetery land in perpetuity.

What is Body Composting?

Body composting, or human composting, is a process that transforms human remains into highly regenerative soil, often used in tree planting, conservation projects, gardens, or woodlands. It's part of a broader movement towards green burial services, including natural burials and other ecological burial practices. Unlike traditional burials, body composting is an environmentally friendly method that avoids the use of embalming fluids, metal caskets, concrete burial vaults, and perpetual land use.

How Does Body Composting Work?

The human composting process, scientifically referred to as natural organic reduction (NOR), involves placing the human body in a vessel with organic materials like wood chips, straw, and alfalfa. Over a span of several weeks, natural microbial activity breaks down the tissue, transforming it into a cubic yard of nutrient dense compost. This method mirrors the natural aerobic (oxygen using) decomposition process but occurs in a controlled environment. Though each NOR provider has their own specific method, Lynne Carpenter-Boggs, chair of the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at Washington State University, has worked with NOR advocate Katrina Spade pioneering the development and refinement the human composting process. The body, along with the organic materials and air flow, undergoes a natural, heat-producing process that accelerates decomposition while eliminating pathogens and capturing the body’s carbon. The end product is a nutrient-rich soil that can support plant growth, allowing the deceased to be returned to the earth in a meaningful way.

Is Body Composting Legal?

The legality of body composting varies by location. In the United States, it was first legalized in Washington state, setting a precedent for other states to follow. Since then, other states have been considering or have passed legislation to allow this process as a part of green burials.

What are the Benefits of Body Composting?

Body composting offers several benefits over conventional burial and cremation methods: Environmental Impact: Traditional burials often involve embalming fluids, and the manufacturing and transportation of caskets and vaults which carry a carbon footprint. Cremation consumes fuel and releases greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast, local body composting produces no direct carbon emissions, sequesters the carbon from the body in the soil keeping it from entering the atmosphere, and requires significantly fewer consumable resources. Conservation: The process transforms human remains into soil that can be used to nourish the earth. It's a way of giving back to the environment, contributing to the growth of plants and the conservation of natural spaces. Cost-Effective: The human composting cost can be lower than traditional burials or cremations. While prices vary, local NOR providers are often considered a more affordable green funeral option. Emotional and Spiritual Benefits: For many, the idea of being laid to rest in a natural and meaningful way is comforting, helping to create a positive outcome from the end of their life. The process of human composting aligns with the beliefs of those who seek the continuity of simply returning to the earth. Space Conservation: In areas where burial space is limited or land is scarce, body composting offers a space-efficient alternative whole-body burial. The composted remains can return to the earth without requiring that land be designated, in perpetuity, as cemetery land.

Why Support Body Composting?

Natural organic reduction not only aligns with the principles of environmental stewardship but also offers a deeply personal and meaningful option for being laid to rest. The transformation of human remains into soil is a profound process, symbolizing the cycle of life in a tangible way. As we continue to seek sustainable and meaningful ways to say goodbye to our loved ones, body composting stands out as a beacon of hope, offering a choice that is both respectful to the departed and kind to the planet.

How Does Water Cremation Work?

In water cremation, the body is placed in a vessel filled with a water and alkali solution. The liquid in the vessel is then heated, but at a drastically lower heat than used in flame cremation. The combination of the heat, fluid movement, water, and alkali breaks down the soft tissue, leaving behind the bone material and a sterile liquid.

What is Water Cremation and How Does It Differ from Flame Cremation?

Water cremation reduces a body using water and alkali, whereas flame cremation uses combustible fossil fuels. Flame cremation involves reducing the body at very high temperatures, and water cremation uses roughly five times less heat, but both result in processed bone material or “ashes,” being returned to the family in an urn or receptacle.

Is Water Cremation More Environmentally Friendly than Flame Cremation?

Water cremation is generally considered more environmentally friendly than traditional flame cremation. It uses electricity to heat the solution and doesn’t directly emit fossil fuel exhaust into the atmosphere. Aquamation also captures the carbon from the body in the solution producing a sterile liquid that can safely be returned to the wastewater system.

Is Water Cremation More Expensive than Flame Cremation?

The cost of water cremation can vary depending on location and provider. In some cases, often it is more costly than traditional flame cremation due to the specialized equipment required and the longer processing time. However, at Interra Green Burial we want to encourage families to use this ecological cremation option, so an aquamation without services is less than Mueller Memorial’s flame cremation.

Return to the Earth

Naturally.

WELCOME TO

Interra Green Burial

Serving the entire Twin Cities metro area.

At Interra Green Burial by Mueller Memorial we know that when the time comes, you’ll want your end of life services to have as little environmental impact as possible. In order to do that you need to find a way to return to the Earth naturally.

The problem is, traditional funeral homes and cremation societies only seem interested in offering two high impact services: flame cremation and casketed burial with embalming. How is there not an easy, ecological choice for the very natural act of dying?

We believe that as a funeral service provider it’s our responsibility to make low impact final disposition options available to you, including green burial, water cremation, and natural organic reduction (human composting).

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The service you receive from Interra Green Burial by Mueller Memorial includes the personal care of Mary, Mandy, Nicole, Nichole, Scott, and the rest of our wonderful team. Here is what people we have served are saying about our service…

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Green Burial Vs. Traditional Burial

We understand that traditional funeral practices have an environmental impact on Minnesota and someone in the funeral profession needed to create a path to a more sustainable choice. So we sought information and training, and created local and national relationships to help make green funerals a choice for everyone.

Award Winning

In August 2022 Interra earned the National Funeral Directors’ Association Green Funeral Practices Award, in 2023 the Gold Level Award from Sustainable Stillwater, and in February 2023 Interra Green Burial became the only funeral service provider in Minnesota at the time to be certified by the national Green Burial Council.

How to Plan a Green Funeral

To start planning a green burial the first step is getting in touch with one of our licensed Interra professionals. We can meet in person or over the phone and we will listen openly to exactly what you have in mind and help you find the services that are the best fit for you. Then we will get all of your plans written down so you can clearly share your intentions with your people.

You Have a Choice

To plan a green burial, water cremation, or natural body composting (which you may thought was impossible in Minnesota), call Interra Green Burial by Mueller Memorial at 651-774-9797 or send us an email at info@interraburial.com. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, so if a death has occurred and your need is immediate, please call.

If your need is not urgent, feel free to explore our website to get comprehensive answers to your questions about natural burial options in MN so you can make a plan that dramatically lowers environmental impact and allows you to rejoin the Earth the natural way.

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Green Burial Options at Interra Green Burial in MN

Ecological Burial Options at Interra Green Burial in MN

In February 2023 Interra Green Burial by Mueller Memorial became, at the time, the only funeral provider in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin to be certified by the national Green Burial Council.

Green Burial Council Emblem | Interra Green Burial

How Interra Is Different

At Interra Green Burial we believe it is our job to help you find the service that‘s right for you. For years you’ve been told you have to do funerals, cremation, and burial in a certain way which often uses chemicals, flame, plastics, stone, or metals, and that might not feel like the right fit for you. The end of someone’s life can reflect the ecological care and concerns they have had while living.

What if all you really want is for your body to return to the Earth in the most natural way possible? How can you find a green funeral home? It is because of these questions that we created Interra Green Burial by Mueller Memorial.

This Isn’t New

The team at Interra Green Burial understands that green funerals are seen as a new concept when really natural whole-body green burials are what humans have been doing for thousands of years. The first known human burial took place over 100,000 years ago and it was done completely naturally, so of course we can do that today.

But if you look for natural burial MN, you’ll find the vast majority of funeral homes don’t even offer natural services. These funeral homes have been performing traditional funerals the same way for the last 100+ years and have become so used to that practice that they don’t even know how to perform green funeral services.

Nationally Certified

For green burials, Minnesota has very few nationally approved and recommended options. Interra Green Burial offers services and has the experience that have earned us certification by the national Green Burial Council. We have also earned the National Funeral Directors’ Associations Green Funeral Practices Award for meeting their “exceptional standards and requirements of the association’s exclusive Green Funeral Practices™ Program.” We have also been awarded Gold Level certification by the Green Business Directory.

Who Is Mueller Memorial

Interra Green Burial is a signature service provided by Mueller Memorial funeral home which is conveniently located in both White Bear Lake and St. Paul Minnesota. We have provided traditional funerals and cremation services for families in the Twin Cities and beyond for over 75 years, but we are passionate about providing every family the funeral services that are the right fit for them.

We’ve invested in Interra Green Burial because we believe that we have a responsibility to reduce the environmental impact of funerals while still providing the gathering, guidance, and ceremony we know families seek after the loss of a family member or friend.

Grief Support

At Interra we also understand that with loss comes grief, so we not only support your family at the time of loss, but for a full year after with our exclusive grief support program, Grief Compass™. We designed this program to provide just a little bit of help navigating grief in the year after loss. An email is delivered once a week that discusses a new concept associated with common grief experiences. Grief Compass has helped thousands of survivors better understand what they’re going through, while they’re going through it.

Find What You’re Looking For

We encourage you to look around our website. There is a lot of information here if you’re new to the idea of organic interment, or if you know what you want and are ready to finalize your plans, we can help.

Services We Provide outlines the different shades of green burial available to you, as well as innovative options such as alkaline hydrolysis and natural organic reduction. You can also search for the green cemetery that’s right for you. In Products you can browse items like green burial caskets, organic carriers, and shrouds.

Green Burial in Minnesota

If you have specific questions about planning a natural burial for yourself or someone you love, please feel free to contact us at 651-774-9797 or info@interraburial.com One of our funeral directors, Scott, Mary, Mandy, or Nicole is always available 24/7 to answer any questions you might have about green burial options.

Green Funeral Planning Online

If you’d prefer to explore planning on your own, you can click the Make Arrangements Online button to get started. Sometimes during that process questions arise, if that happens you can call us at 651-774-9797 any time to get answers, with no obligation. We’re here to help you get exactly what you want.

St. Paul

Address: 835 Johnson Pkwy, St. Paul, MN 55016, United States

Phone: 651-774-9797

White Bear Lake

Address: 4738 Bald Eagle Ave, White Bear Lake, MN, 55110, United States

Phone: 651-429-4944