Vets can opt for ‘green’ burials at VA cemeteries through new pilot
By Leo Shane III
Nov 26, 2024, 02:06 PM
Veterans Affairs officials on Tuesday launched a new pilot program allowing “green” burials at three department national cemeteries in an effort to minimize the environmental impact of traditional interments of veterans and their family members.
The sites — with National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix, Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado, and Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell — will provide special sections where individuals’ remains can be wrapped in biodegradable materials and buried with a minimal environmental footprint.
Remains interred in a green burial section of a VA cemetery must be prepared for burial without use of chemicals or embalming fluids. Families eligible for burials at the three sites can begin requesting the environmentally friendly option immediately.
Officials hope to learn from the initial burials for expansion to other sites in the future.
https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2024/11/26/vets-can-opt-for-green-burials-at-va-cemeteries-through-new-pilot/