A green burial is one in which: the body is not embalmed, the burial container–whether a box or a shroud–must be made of biodegradable materials. There is no vault or cement grave liner. Rather, the container or the body is placed directly within the soil to biodegrade naturally. Learn about other characteristics of green burial.
Yes, green burial is legal.
Massachustts state law does not require the use of a grave liner or vault. A cemetery's Board of Directors or a city or town's Cemetery Commission develop their own rules and regulations about the kind of burial that is allowed in their cemetery.
Many cemeteries in Massachusetts do not yet allow green burial. GBM is conducting state-wide research to identify which cemeteries allow green burial. This information, along with other data on MA cemeteries, is being collected and entered into a searchable database.
More about MA cemeteries that allow green burial>>
Our mission is twofold:
