Green Burial Council

Green Burial Council
Approved Standards and Practices for a
Funeral Home on the Premises of a
Conservation Burial Ground

  1. Funeral Rule of the Federal Trade Commission. A Funeral Provider must comply with the FTC Funeral Rule, which stipulates that every customer:
    1. be given an itemized price list of general services before the customer decides on the services wanted;
    2. be given a casket price list before selecting a casket;
    3. be given an itemized total for everything selected by customer prior to services being provided
    4. not be required to purchase any goods or services that are not required by law
    5. not be charged an additional fee if the customer supplies the casket or other goods and services; and
  2. Required Options.  A Funeral Provider must add to its general price list the following items:
    1. shroud burial;
    2. viewing without embalming;
    3. body donation to a medical school;
    4. the cost of the cremation process;
    5. rental caskets; and
  3. Required Information.  A Funeral Provider must add to its general price list the following information:
    1. the rights of a family to transport a body with its own vehicle or to contract this out to a third party other than the funeral home; and
    2. warning of mercury pollution from cremation involving decedents with amalgam dental fillings, along with ways of mitigating this problem (i.e., removal of fillings, use of crematory with retorts containing appropriate filtration equipment).
  4. Additional Requirements.  A Funeral Provider must:
    1. never provide information to the general public or the media that is misleading or factually incorrect;
    2. disclose any mark-up on "cash advance" items with the actual amount to be charged.