Biodegrade Eco Coffin leaves no toxic trace in the ground

(09/03/2009)

Currently around 80% of the 600,000 coffins used every year in the UK are made from chipboard, a cheap material manufactured using synthetic resins and formaldehyde. Many of us live by our green values, so why should it be any different when our final farewell comes. The decisions we make in life can be respected in death with an Eco Coffin. Eco Coffins Ltd uses a cardboard derivative material called NatureBoard™ which is constructed from robust recycled cardboard that can be either cremated or buried to leave no harmful emissions.

Founder, Sophie Dansie and her husband Ben came up with the idea for Eco Coffins Ltd in 2001, after a friend’s funeral. Sophie found herself frustrated with the detached and impersonal experience, symbolised by the standard and sombre dark wood-effect coffin. Not only was it a reflection of the limited choice available at the time, but it also seemed so removed from the vibrant person who had died. Sophie began questioning whether there could be a better way to celebrate individuality and reflect the life that had been led.

Choice within the funeral industry is becoming increasingly prevalent and the industry itself is undergoing a quiet revolution. Funeral Directors are more accommodating to the requests of bereaved families when it comes to using alternative coffins, and this is reinforced by customers becoming more aware of the options available and having the confidence to ask for what they want.

NatureBoard™ is a non-toxic material that emits 90% less carbon monoxide and uses 60% less energy during cremation, compared with the standard chipboard option. When buried, the NatureBoard™ coffin biodegrades leaving no toxic trace in the ground.

Describing the range developed by Eco Coffins Ltd, Sophie says: “Following our own extensive research and development, we have a beautiful range of traditional and more brightly coloured designs. People love our plain white Signature coffin because it can be personalised; children’s handprints, paper flowers, personal messages and drawings are just some of the creative additions that have been used. It’s also helpful to know that decorating it can be both comforting and therapeutic.”

Eco Coffins was the pioneer of a new green choice, challenging the funeral industry as a whole. The choice they now provide reflects the demands of today’s society. Offering a way to open up and talk to our parents or grandparents about their final wishes and dealing with a difficult and often taboo subject, the Eco Coffins company ethos symbolises a new way of dealing with grief.

Nick Brealey, Managing Director, comments: “We are increasingly aware of the urgency of behaving in an environmentally responsible manner in our lives; it is also applicable in death. Choosing an Eco Coffin is not only a responsible choice in itself but also makes an important statement to future generations to look after our fragile world.”

Related categories:  Biodegradable waste   Wood and timber recycling