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.

Natural Burial MN: About Us| Interra Green Burial

About Interra Green Burial

Interra Green Burial by Mueller Memorial: Your Local Green Funeral Home in St. Paul, Minnesota

Welcome to Interra Green Burial by Mueller Memorial, a green funeral service provider serving the entire Twin Cities area.

We are a signature service of a Green Burial Council certified funeral home specializing in ecological burial choices and a commitment to providing an eco-friendly alternative to traditional funerals. At Interra, we believe in the circle of life, helping families celebrate their loved ones' lives in harmony with the natural environment.

For funeral homes specializing in green burial, Minnesota doesn’t have many options. Interra is proud to offer several eco-conscious funeral services, including green burial, alkaline hydrolysis, and body composting backed by an established and experienced team of heart-centered funeral service care providers.

Our team of licensed funeral directors, Mandy, Mary, Nicole, and Scott, are here to support and guide you through what we know is one of the hardest times of your life, while ensuring a unique, personalized experience that respects both your wishes and the environment.

We’re Not Scary

We know that funeral directors get a bad rap. If you see a funeral director in a movie or in the news it’s generally not showing the profession’s best side. But times have changed, especially for us, and funeral arranging no longer has to be some intimidating guy in a black suit selling you something and telling you what to do.

Today, with the exception of owner Scott Mueller, all of our arranging funeral directors are women and we take the time to work with you, without judgment, and help you decide the end-of-life service that’s right for you and your family. Yes, even if that means we are not the right provider for you.

Death Care: A Holistic Approach

Most funeral or cremation providers arrange and execute the funeral service, collect payment, and believe that’s the end of the role they have to play in your loss. We don’t see it that way. At Inerra Green Burial by Mueller Memorial we understand that we are guides who are going to help lay a foundation for how you’re going to experience grief.

All of our funeral directors have received advanced training in understanding the Acute Loss Period, the first 14 days after a death occurs. There is a tremendous amount of emotional impact that takes place when someone you love dies, it brings up feelings from other losses, it creates a longing to gather and it starts to pave the path you’re going to take through grief. In this crucial and formative time you need trustworthy people who will hold space for you and gently guide you through.

As a continuation of our service we follow up with all of the family members present at arrangement to provide an exclusive grief support program called Grief Compass. For the first full year after the death, you’ll receive a weekly email which offers practical tips, resources, and insights into how grief works. It isn’t a cure, but just a little help navigating the first year after loss

What is Mueller Memorial?

Lots of funeral homes talk about caring and compassion but at Mueller Memorial it is truly at the core of everything we do. Al and Connie Mueller began Mueller Mortuary in 1946 when every funeral they provided was a traditional casketed burial with embalming, visitation, a church Mass, procession, and burial.

Now, nearly eight decades later, Mueller Memorial is on its third generation of family to operate the business, and our approach to funeral planning has completely changed. Though our commitment to our community and the families we serve is unwavering.

The Beginning of Interra

Interra Green Burial by Mueller Memorial was born out of an understanding that our traditional funeral practices do have an impact on the environment. And though those practices are still very important and culturally relevant to some people in our community, it is also the responsibility of funeral care providers to lead the way to more sustainable funeral practices and green burial options.

In early 2020 Mueller Memorial began offering organic burials with our signature service, Interra Green Burial. Over the next couple of years, gathering during various stages of the pandemic proved a challenge across the funeral profession, but with time and effort, in February 2023 Interra earned the status of being Minnesota’s only funeral home to be certified by the national Green Burial Council.

Where to Start for Green Burial MN

Green burials, or natural burials, are an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional burial practices. With a green burial, bodies are returned to the earth in a biodegradable casket or shroud, without embalming fluids or non-degradable materials.

We understand that searching for "green burial near me" can deliver a mixed bag of results, which leads to sorting through advocacy groups, conservation organizations, cemeteries, and memorial parks. This can make it difficult to know how to start planning green burial services.

As a full-service, green-certified funeral home, we are here to make arranging comprehensive green burial services easy for you anywhere in the Twin Cities.

Alkaline Hydrolysis: Gentle and Green

As part of our commitment to offer an array of green funeral services, we provide alkaline hydrolysis, a modern and eco-friendly alternative to traditional cremation services. This process uses water and alkaline to accelerate natural decomposition, resulting in a sterile, non-harmful liquid solution and solid bone material. That ash-like solid material is returned to the family and can be kept or scattered in a place of significance.

Though alkaline hydrolysis is a slower process than flame cremation, Interra Green Burial by Mueller Memorial charges the same for water cremation as we do for flame cremation. We want to encourage individuals to make a more environmentally-friendly choice for the same cost.

Body Composting: An Innovative Choice

At Interra, we are proud to be at the forefront of funeral innovation by offering body composting services. This revolutionary practice transforms human remains into nutrient-rich compost material that can nourish new life, a symbolic and tangible way to honor a loved one's connection to the earth.

Human composting, scientifically known as natural organic reduction, is not yet a legally approved disposition method in Minnesota so Interra has created an in-person professional partnership with a composting service, Return Home, in the state of Washington. While still complying with green burial laws, Interra is able to fly human remains on an existing commercial flight to the care of our trusted partners in Washington for composting.

Your Green Funeral Home: Here to Help

At Interra Green Burial, we believe in the power of choice and respect for individual preferences. Whether you are interested in green burial, alkaline hydrolysis, body composting, or more traditional funerals with a green twist, our dedicated team of experienced funeral directors is here to guide you.

From helping you find green cemeteries to our innovative services, we are committed to helping families honor their loved ones in a manner that aligns with their values and love for our planet. We invite you to explore our website for more information about our services, or feel free to contact us directly at 651-774-9797 or by email at info@interraburial.com

We're here to help, offering a compassionate, green alternative for families in Minnesota. Whether you’re next door to one of our locations in St. Paul and White Bear Lake or from across the river in Minneapolis, let Interra Green Burial guide you through this challenging time, providing a dignified, eco-friendly farewell that honors your loved one and respects our shared planet.

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