Colorado Eco-Friendly Burial: Green Burial, Home Burial, and Natural Options

Colorado's combination of public land, wide-open rural spaces, and progressive death care laws makes it one of the more accessible states for eco-friendly burial. But "green" means different things in different contexts — and some options marketed as environmentally friendly have significant caveats. Here's what's actually available and what each option legally requires.

What Green Burial Actually Means

Green burial, at its core, means returning the body to the earth without materials that impede natural decomposition. The defining characteristics are:

• No embalming fluids (which contain formaldehyde and other preservatives)
• No concrete vault or liner
• No metal casket
• A biodegradable container — shroud, wicker basket, cardboard, or unfinished softwood

A body buried this way decomposes naturally within a few years, returning organic material to the soil rather than preserving it in a sealed environment.

This is distinct from human composting (natural organic reduction), which is an accelerated facility-based process covered in human-composting-colorado. Green burial is in-ground interment without the industrial preparation — not a facility-based alternative.

The "Green Section" Problem at Conventional Cemeteries

Many conventional cemeteries now advertise "green sections" or "natural burial areas." Before you assume these meet true green burial standards, ask specific questions.

The core issue: many cemeteries still require some form of burial container beneath the casket or shroud — not a full concrete vault, but a partial liner — to prevent ground subsidence over time. A partial liner prevents the ground from sinking as the body decomposes, which the cemetery cares about for lawn maintenance purposes. But a liner, even a partial one, directly conflicts with the goal of natural decomposition.

Ask the cemetery specifically:

• Is a liner of any kind required?
• Are embalming fluids permitted in the green section, or specifically excluded?
• What container materials are allowed?
• Does the cemetery have any pesticide or herbicide policy for the green section (many natural burial advocates want no-spray areas)?

If the answers don't align with what you want, look for a dedicated natural burial ground.

Dedicated Natural Burial Grounds in Colorado

Colorado has dedicated natural burial cemeteries that operate specifically to meet green burial standards — no embalming required, no vaults, biodegradable containers only. These facilities often integrate burial into conservation areas, with the cemetery serving a dual purpose of providing green burial space and protecting land from development.

When evaluating a natural burial ground:

• Confirm they're operating under Colorado's cemetery regulations and whether they require DORA registration (operators of natural burial grounds are subject to regulation similarly to conventional cemeteries)
• Ask whether the land has a permanent conservation easement or other legal protection against future development
• Ask for their explicit policy on containers, embalming, markers, and GPS recording

GPS recording of grave locations matters for natural burial grounds where there are no headstones — the GPS coordinates serve as the permanent location record.

Home Burial on Private Property

Colorado permits burial on private property. This is a genuine legal option, not a gray area — but the requirements are specific and must be followed precisely.

Burial depth: The body must be covered with at least four feet of compacted soil. This is a state public health requirement, not a suggestion.

GPS coordinates: You must record the precise GPS coordinates of the grave.

Private Burial Affidavit: This document must be filed with the county clerk and recorder within 30 days of interment. This creates a permanent legal record of the burial location attached to the property.

Death certificate and disposition permit: The same requirements as any other burial apply. A death certificate must be registered and a disposition permit issued by the county registrar or coroner before interment can proceed. You cannot bury a body on your property without a disposition permit, regardless of your intentions.

Property ownership: The burial must occur on land you own. Burying on leased land or a family member's property requires clear coordination and creates complications for future property sales.

Title complications. A burial on private property affects real estate title. Prospective buyers must be disclosed about any burials on the property. Some buyers walk away from a property with a burial — this is a real financial consideration to weigh before choosing this option. The county clerk record helps future owners locate the burial and understand the history.

Water setbacks. Check local county ordinances for minimum setbacks from wells, streams, and property lines. While there's no single statewide setback rule for private burial, counties and local water authorities may have their own requirements.

What You Cannot Do: No-Permit Situations

You cannot simply bury a body on your land without going through the death certificate and permit process. The disposition permit is the legal authorization to bury — without it, even a well-intentioned home burial creates serious legal exposure and creates problems for any future property transfer.

Similarly, you cannot leave a body unattended and decomposing without either beginning disposition or maintaining refrigeration. Colorado law requires that a body be either embalmed or continuously refrigerated if disposition doesn't occur within 24 hours.

The Disposition Permit Sequence for Eco-Friendly Burial

The same permit sequence that applies to any burial applies to green and home burial:

1. Death must be registered through the Electronic Death Registration System (EDRS)
2. Medical certification completed within 72 hours
3. Death certificate registered with the county vital records office
4. Disposition permit issued by the county registrar or coroner
5. After burial is complete, the permit is endorsed and returned to the issuing registrar within five days

For home burial specifically, step 5 involves noting the private property location rather than a cemetery name.

Scattering Ashes as the Eco-Friendly Alternative to Green Burial

For families where cremation is the preferred form of disposition, scattering at a meaningful natural location is environmentally comparable to green burial in practical terms. Colorado has no state law prohibiting scattering of cremated remains, though federal land rules apply. See colorado-cremation-laws for the specific permit requirements for Rocky Mountain National Park and BLM land.

The Colorado Funeral Laws & Consumer Rights Guide covers the Private Burial Affidavit process, the disposition permit sequence for home burial, and the questions to ask any cemetery claiming to offer "green burial" — so you can evaluate whether their actual requirements match the standard you're looking for.

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