Summary:
Most people start researching this topic because something didn’t sit right. Maybe the idea of a traditional burial felt wrong for the person you’re honoring. Maybe the cost of a cemetery plot on Long Island gave you pause — and it should, because it’s significant. Or maybe you read something about aquamation or human composting and wanted to know if that was actually an option here in Nassau County.
Whatever brought you here, this page is going to give you a straight answer on what exists, what it involves, and — critically for anyone in Nassau County — what you can actually access right now under New York State law.
Eco Friendly Burial Options: What the Full Landscape Actually Looks Like
The conversation around end-of-life options has changed significantly in recent years. The U.S. cremation rate is projected to hit 63.4% in 2025 — more than double the rate of traditional in-ground burial. That shift reflects something real: people are looking for options that feel more personal, more affordable, or more aligned with their values.
The phrase “eco friendly burial options” gets used loosely, so it helps to define it. A burial method is generally considered environmentally friendly when it avoids embalming chemicals, metal caskets, and concrete burial vaults — the three elements of conventional burial that carry the heaviest environmental footprint. Traditional U.S. burials collectively consume roughly 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid and 1.6 million tons of concrete vaults every year. Eco-friendly alternatives sidestep all of that.
What follows is a plain-language overview of the seven most discussed options — what each one involves, what it costs in general terms, and whether it’s available to you as a Nassau County resident.
Natural Green Burial: The Simplest Form of Returning to the Earth
Natural green burial is probably the oldest form of disposition and the one that requires the least intervention. The body is buried without embalming, without a metal casket, and without a concrete vault. A biodegradable shroud or simple wooden casket is used instead, and the burial takes place in a designated green cemetery or conservation burial ground where the land is preserved rather than developed.
The Green Burial Council — the leading certification body in this space — lists more than 300 certified providers across the country. Natural burial grounds range from simple rural meadows to formally managed conservation properties where your burial site contributes to land preservation in perpetuity. Some families find deep meaning in that: the idea that the burial itself does something good for the land.
For Nassau County residents, natural green burial is a legally available option, but it requires finding a certified green cemetery willing to accept the burial. Most certified green burial grounds in the New York area are located outside Nassau County itself — meaning families may need to travel to rural or semi-rural areas of upstate New York or neighboring states. That’s not a dealbreaker for everyone, but it’s worth knowing before you plan around it.
If the goal is a meaningful, nature-based farewell that’s accessible to your local family and community, the logistics of a distant burial ground can complicate things. The cost of natural green burial varies widely depending on the cemetery and the level of service, but it is generally less expensive than conventional burial with a casket and plot — particularly relevant in Nassau County, where cemetery plots at well-known local grounds like Holy Rood in Westbury or Pinelawn carry significant price tags.
Aquamation and Human Composting: What Nassau County Families Need to Know Before Planning Around Them
These are the two options you’ve probably seen the most press about, and for good reason — both are genuinely compelling from an environmental standpoint.
Aquamation, also called alkaline hydrolysis or water cremation, uses a combination of water, heat, and an alkaline solution to accelerate the body’s natural decomposition. The process takes several hours and results in a fine ash — typically white or tan rather than the gray of flame cremation — along with a sterile liquid that is safely returned to the water system. Aquamation produces about 20 to 30 percent more ash than conventional cremation and uses significantly less energy. Nationally, the process averages around $2,500, though prices range from under $1,500 to over $4,000 depending on the provider and location.
Human composting — formally called Natural Organic Reduction — places the body in a vessel with wood chips, straw, and other organic material and allows it to naturally transform into nutrient-rich soil over the course of several weeks. The resulting soil can be returned to the family or used to support conservation land. The process is meaningful to many families for exactly the reason the name suggests: the body literally becomes part of the earth. Costs generally run between $3,000 and $7,000.
Here is the critical fact for anyone in Nassau County or anywhere else in New York State: as of the most recent available information, neither aquamation nor human composting is legal in New York. Both require specific state legislation to authorize them as approved methods of disposition, and New York has not yet passed that legislation. Aquamation is currently legal in approximately 28 states; human composting in roughly 13. New York is not among them for either.
If you’ve been drawn to one of these options based on something you read in a national publication, it’s important to verify current New York State law before making any decisions. The regulatory landscape is evolving quickly, and that may change — but right now, these options are not available to Nassau County families.
Environmentally Friendly Burial Options That Are Available to Nassau County Families Right Now
Once you set aside the options that aren’t currently accessible in New York, the list narrows — but what remains is genuinely worth your attention. Reef burial, space burial, and ocean ash scattering are all legal options for Nassau County families, and each offers something distinct from a traditional funeral.
Reef burial involves mixing cremated remains with an eco-friendly concrete mixture to form an artificial reef structure, which is then placed on the ocean floor. Companies like Eternal Reefs offer this service, with costs typically ranging from $3,000 to $7,000 depending on the reef size and placement location. The reef becomes a permanent structure that supports marine life — a legacy that continues long after the service itself.
Space burial launches a small portion of cremated remains into orbit or beyond. Companies like Celestis offer this starting around $2,500 for Earth orbit, with lunar surface options at significantly higher price points. It’s a niche option, but for families honoring someone whose imagination always reached beyond the horizon, it’s a real and available choice.
Ocean Ash Scattering: The Option That Makes the Most Sense for Nassau County Families
For Nassau County residents, ocean ash scattering deserves more than a line in a list. It’s the most locally accessible eco-friendly burial option available under current New York law, and for families on the South Shore of Long Island, it’s also the most personally resonant.
Think about where Nassau County people actually live. The South Shore runs along the Atlantic from Long Beach to Point Lookout to Jones Beach. Families here have spent summers on those beaches, fished those waters, and built memories along that coastline for generations. For many people, returning a loved one to the ocean isn’t an alternative to something meaningful — it is the meaningful thing.
Here’s how it works under federal law. Ocean ash scattering in U.S. waters is governed by the EPA’s Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) general permit. The burial must take place at least three nautical miles from shore. All materials — urns, flowers, anything placed in the water — must be biodegradable. The service provider is required to report the burial to the EPA within 30 days using the agency’s online reporting tool. These aren’t bureaucratic hurdles; they’re the framework that makes this a legitimate, federally recognized form of disposition.
Families can choose between an attended service — where they board the vessel and participate in the ceremony on the water — or an unattended service, where the burial is conducted on their behalf and they receive a certificate with the GPS coordinates of the burial location. Both options are fully valid. Attended services allow for music, readings, flowers, and the full weight of a real ceremony. Unattended services serve families who live far away, who are managing health challenges, or who simply prefer a private, quiet farewell.
We conduct both types of services aboard the Seaspray, a Coast Guard-inspected vessel berthed at 1 Anchorage Way, Slip A23 in Freeport — a short drive from communities across Nassau County. The vessel sits low in the water specifically to make ash release easier for families, and the heated cabin means we operate year-round. A January farewell is as accessible as one in July.
What Makes a Sea Burial Ceremony Different From What Most Families Expect
Most people who attend a sea burial for the first time describe it the same way: they didn’t expect it to feel like that. The open water, the distance from shore, the stillness of the moment — there’s something about the setting that creates a kind of ceremony that a funeral home or graveside service rarely matches. Families consistently describe it as the most beautiful funeral they’ve ever attended.
That’s what people actually say afterward, and it reflects something real about what the experience delivers. A sea burial isn’t a shortcut or a stripped-down alternative. Done well, it’s a full memorial — one that happens to take place on the Atlantic Ocean three miles off the coast of Point Lookout instead of in a room with folding chairs.
We can accommodate a priest for religious rites and prayers, which matters for the large Catholic community across Nassau County — families from Massapequa, Oceanside, Garden City, and elsewhere who want a ceremony that honors their faith as well as their loved one. Catering is available on board, from a simple breakfast to a full meal, so the service can become a genuine gathering rather than a brief formality. Pets are welcome to join the family on the journey. These aren’t small details — they’re what make the difference between a transaction and a farewell that actually feels like one.
For families who have been researching alternatives because something about the conventional options felt wrong, this is often the moment where it clicks. The ocean isn’t a compromise. For a lot of Nassau County families, it’s the answer they were looking for before they knew what to call it.
Our burial coordinator, Maria Brusalis, handles all logistics, paperwork, and coordination with cremation providers — so families aren’t navigating the administrative side of this alone. Master Captain Scott Schafer leads every service on the water. If you have questions about what a service involves, what to expect, or whether this is the right fit, reaching out to us directly is the fastest way to get a straight answer.
Which Burial Alternative Is Right for Your Family?
There’s no single right answer here, and anyone who tells you otherwise isn’t thinking about your family — they’re thinking about their service. What matters is finding an option that fits the person you’re honoring, the family who needs to gather around that moment, and the practical realities of where you live.
For Nassau County families, the honest summary is this: natural green burial is available but may require travel to access a certified site. Aquamation and human composting are not currently legal in New York. Reef burial and space burial are available but serve specific circumstances. Ocean ash scattering is fully legal, locally accessible, and — for families connected to the South Shore — often the most personally meaningful option on the list.
If you’re still sorting through what makes sense, Eternal Peace Sea Burials is here to answer questions without pressure. A conversation costs nothing, and it might be exactly what you need to move forward with clarity.