Many of us have preferences as to what happens to our remains after we die. The most common choices for body disposition include burial and cremation. But, with more and more people looking to minimize their environmental impact or the costs associated with their death, some other options have emerged.
Traditional Burial/Cremation
Traditional burials and cremations are the most common choices for body disposition after death. According to the Cremation Association of North America, in 2024, the US cremation rate was 61.8%. According to the National Funeral Director’s Association’s 2025 Cremation & Burial Report, the 2025 cremation rate is projected to be 63.4% and the burial rate is projected to be 31.6%.
One downside to a traditional burial or cremation is that they can be expensive. According to Funeralocity, the average price of a traditional burial in Arizona is $7,784 while the average price for cremation is $5,372. And, prices are expected to rise. If you know you would like to be cremated or buried, prepaid cremation plans, niches and plots can be a good way to ensure that this happens. There are many funeral homes and organizations that offer prepaid funeral and cremation plans. Below are a few to get you started if you are interested in learning more:
Full Body Donation
For those who want their body to be used for research or study after their death, a full body donation might be a good option. There are a couple of programs around Tucson that allow those who sign up to donate their entire body so that it can be studied, used to perform research or used by medical students. This is also often a more economical option. Often, the program will provide free cremation following the use of the body.
What are the downsides to full body donation? Sometimes, the donation cannot be completed based outside factors, like if you died of certain infectious diseases. If the donation is completed, it may be a long time before your family or friends receive your cremains, if they are willing to provide them at all.
If you want to learn more, check out these organizations:
Some programs require that you sign up prior to your death to participate, so if you want your body to be donated, it’s best to make arrangements ahead of time.
Human Composting
For those looking for a more eco-friendly option for disposal of their remains, human composting might be the answer. Human composting (sometimes called natural organic reduction or terramation) is a newer alternative to cremation and traditional burials. It was not legalized in Arizona until 2024 with the passage of House Bill 2081. The idea is that the body is reduced back to soil.
Want to learn more? A couple of companies have popped up around Tucson that are offering these services. Note, we haven’t vetted these companies, so it is important to do your own research.
According to the companies offering the services listed above, the process takes 45-60 days. During that time, the body is cleaned, wrapped in biodegradable material, and placed in a vessel filled with other organisms and substrates that break down the body. By the end of it all, the remains are reduced to soil. The soil is often returned to the families.
Aquamation
According to NFDA’s 2025 Consumer Awareness and Preferences Report, 61.4% are interested in exploring “green” funeral options. The rise in interest is attributed to potential environmental benefits and potential cost savings. While human composting is the “green” option I have heard the most about, there is at least one more.
Aquamation (also known as alkaline hydrolysis) is another option. The process uses water, chemicals, heat, pressure and agitation to accelerate natural decomposition. At the end, all that is left is a neutral liquid and bone fragments. While this process is legal in Arizona, there are no active practitioners in Tucson (at least that we are aware of) and only one in all of Arizona.
One Response
Currently the rules and regulations are being written and reviewed for all types of burial including natural organic reduction (NOR), which as you mentioned, just passed in 2024 in Arizona. The three companies you listed are all not in Arizona but can arrange to have the body shipped to Washington state, Colorado, Nevada. Shipping bodies long distances starts to negate the environmental advantages of NOR. Note that there is a new company formed in Arizona that will be spearheading this new choice in end of life options once all the rules/regs are finalized (hopefully in mid-2026): NORAZ.org