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Two Winchester clergy members attended a recent Wildwood Cemetery Advisory Committee to advocate for green burials.
Temple Shir Tikvah’s Rabbi Cari Bricklin-Small and First Congregational Church’s Pastor Will Burhans said some of their members have been asking for green burial options.
The subject first came before the advisory committee in April 2023.
A green burial has many definitions, and according to Green Burial Massachusetts there would be no embalming fluid, and the body would be buried in a biodegradable box or other container.
Bricklin-Small said, “A year ago, Marianne DiBlasi gave a talk about green burials at the library and since then three community members have requested them. It’s not so different from the Jewish traditional burial.
Burhans agreed, saying “I’m getting more and more questions from members who are concerned that embalming and cremation are not good for the earth.”
Committee Chair Allan Eyden said that he’s looked online for rules and regulations.
“We’ve picked out an area for these burials, and we did test bores,” he said. “There’s some ledge and we have to find where we can dig down 4 feet [which is the requirement for green burials].”
Committee member Barbara O’Connell pointed out that it used to be a quarry.
The town’s cemetery coordinator Jim Shattuck said, “The fill from the Aberjona was put in there, more than 20 years ago,” adding that they might have to test more areas.
Another requirement was pointed out by committee member Caroline Woodward. As the committee discussed markers and headstones, she said that metal “plugs” would mark the burial spot.
“They’re flush to the ground,” she said.
Eyden read the draft of the rules to the meeting attendees, which included:
• No presale of plots, they’d be assigned sequentially, not reserved.
• Each plot would be single-depth.
• No vaults or grave liners.
• No disinterment.
• Permits must be obtained by licensed funeral homes and the remains properly cared for.
• No medical devices that can be removed from the remains.
• Remains must be wrapped in biodegradable material and placed in a solid soft wood coffin (no plywood or pressed board, which have chemicals) or in a woven basket.
• Remains must be handled by family members or funeral home personnel, not by cemetery employees who will only open and close the grave.
The draft also described allowing cremation ashes, but Bricklin-Small objected and O’Connell asked her, “What’s your biggest concern?”
Bricklin-Small said, “My congregation wants to be sure it’s completely ‘green’ and cremation remains have chemicals which can change the pH of the soil.”
Burhans agreed and pointed out the area next to his church where cremains are buried is experiencing some changes.
Eyden agreed to drop the idea of allowing cremains in the green burial area. He said the next steps would be to discuss green burials with Public Works Director Robert LaBossiere and eventually bring it to the Select Board.
Burhans said, “If you offer it, it will be a gift to the people.”
Winchester resident Joyce Westner is one of the founders of Winchester News. She holds a degree in English and journalism from Northeastern University. If you have a suggestion for either a Meet the Artist or Helpers Among Us resident, email editor@winchesternews.org. Westner has been advocating for green burials at Wildwood Cemetery.
