SAIF Golden Charter

Going green with eco-funerals

Coffin manufacturer LifeArt believes that Britain could significantly reduce the amount of air pollution caused by cremations if funeral directors switched from using traditional MDF or particleboard coffins to those made with more environmentally friendly materials.

LifeArt, which manufactures coffins with ‘enviroboard’ at its factory in Gloucestershire, commissioned research that showed that switching from MDF or particleboard coffins to new paper-based products could reduce these greenhouse gas emissions and toxic particles, including CO2 and NOx, by up to 97%.

So far, LifeArt coffins have been adopted by a number of funeral directors, including Stroud-based Michael Gamble, an independent funeral director.

Michael Gamble, founder of Michael Gamble Funeral Directors, said: “We’re finding more bereaved people want an environmentally friendly coffin option and at a price that isn’t going to break the bank, so I’m proud to be the first independent funeral director in the UK to offer LifeArt’s enviroboard coffins to families.

“The design and build quality is on a par with chipboard alternatives, meaning families are able to choose a realistic wood effect or a high definition image that reflects the life and personality of the deceased.”

Results of the cremation tests, which were conducted by the UK’s largest cremator manufacturer, Leeds-based Facultatieve Technologies, were released in the wake of the Government’s recent announcement on its Clean Air Strategy, which included measures to crack down on polluting fuels including those used in wood-burning stoves and diesel engines.

It is estimated that the 450,000 cremations carried out in the UK each year lead to the burning of about 17 million kg of MDF or particleboard, causing significant pollution.

Many crematoria are located in busy towns already suffering from pollution and although some modern cremators have advanced pollution abatement technology, LifeArt understands that they are unable to retard all greenhouse gases effectively.

Simon Rothwell, Managing Director of LifeArt coffins, said the funeral profession could play an important part in doing its bit to improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save trees. He said: “Our tests reinforce the fact that burning chipboard coffins is environmentally harmful. There have been paper-based coffins on the market for many years, but chipboard coffins have continued to dominate because, until now, it has been impossible to replicate the look, functionality and low cost of a veneered chipboard coffin.”

It’s estimated that the production of MDF and particleboard coffins require in the region of 330,000 trees but to produce the same number of coffins using recycled and FSC-approved paper-based materials, 80% fewer trees would be required, saving a 273,000 trees.