1. Cremation Funeral Services and Goods

Arizonans' preferred method of disposition is cremations. With 67% opting for cremations funeral services, this is significantly higher than the national rate at 56% (NFDA). The 2 factors fueling this rise is the cost of cremation service and environmental concerns. Arizona has a more significant population of retirees, transplants, expatriates living in the state. cremations give families flexibility while coordinating funeral services with relatives and friends located in another states. With COVID-19 restrictions and death toll it generated also gave additional boost in the rise. 1 should know cremations are a process and not the final disposition of human remains. There needs to chosen final resting place.
Scattering ashes on private property, scattering gardens, public lands, national parks, water burial, or from an airplane/hot air balloon are options (The Living Urn, 2020).
Indoor/Outdoor Columbarium – A columbarium where niches hold the urn.
Earth Burial some cemeteries designate burial lots specifically for the placement of cremated remains.
Cremation jewelry with engraved fingerprint image but can hold a smal amount of their loved ones remains as well.

2. Burial Funeral Services and Goods

When planning a traditional full-service funeral 1 of most expensive item the consumer will buy is the casket and there's plethora of options.
Mahogany caskets are 1 of the most expensive hardwood caskets selling for up to $10K. A cheaper option would be softwood caskets made with pine, wicker, or fir.
For those not want wood, they could consider a metal casket but they come with a higher costs of $8K-$40K. Metal caskets are typically made out of steel, bronze, copper, or gold, they come in an array of colors and finishes. A stainless steel casket cost ranges based on the thickness of the metal which is called "gauge with 20, 18, & 16. The lower the gauge, the thicker the material (FTC, 2018).
Words to know that add costs- (Grave liner, burial vault,) (gasketed, protective, or sealer.) Gasket caskets are designed where a rubber gasket will delay water entering the casket & rusting. People should be aware that the FTC Funeral Rule prohibits stating remains will be protected indefinitely as this is erroneously false. . Grave liners and burial vaults are outer burial containers maintaining the level of the cemetery grounds landacape. Caskets will deteriorate under 6 feet which causes the ground to sink and creates an uneven look.
To counteract that caskets are kept in mega structures able to hold the weight of the earth , the liner or vault holds the casket & weight in place (FTC, 2018).
Vaults and liners are NOT required by law however most cemeteries require the use of a burial vault or grave liner. but green cemeteries, nature preserves usually do not mandate them(FTC, 2018).

3. The Average Funeral Service Costs in Arizona.

Arizona remains 1 of the least expensive places to hold a funeral however cost still varies across the state. It can easily cost upwards of $6,590 this does not include a caskets, urns, memorial items, vaults, death certificates. (NFDA) survey calculated median cost of a funerals. In 2019, national median cost without a vault was $7,640. A vault is required by many cemeteries with a vault it increases to $9,135. However, This does not include the plots, headstone, flowers or an obituary.Here are the Services, the Range of cost (R) and the Average Cost (AC).


Direct Cremation: (R- $575 - $2,650) (AC $1,612) Direct Burial: (R$875 - $5,170)(AC $3,022)


Full Service Funeral (no casket): (R $1,295 - $6,590)(AC$3,942)


Transportation of Body to Funeral Home (R $395 - $700 (AC$547)


Embalming: (R$625 - $700)(AC$612)


Body Preparation (bathing, dressing, casketing)(R$225 - $300) (AC$237)


Casket(R$795 - $5,590)- (AC$3,192)


FULL SERVICE TOTAL (R$3,235 - $13,830) (AC$8,533)

4. Environmental Impact of Cremations

" For 1 year of cremations usage in the USA the fossils fuels used for that time could drive a car halfway to the sun.
Recompose offers a tangible and personal action in the fight against climate change. Human composting saves a metric ton of carbon dioxide per body when compared to conventional burial or cremation. That’s equivalent to the CO2 emissions of 1,102 pounds of coal, driving 2,481 miles, or over 40 cylinders of propane."(Kiley, B. 2020)

5. Environmental Impact of Burials.

With our population growing, cemeteries filling up our access to land is getting significantly smaller. In the US cemeteries take 1 million acres of land. In our most densely filled cities it's not unheard for cemeteries to become sold out. We're faced with having to respond to these land shortages when they happen, not if, but when they happen. Arlington National Cemetery is projected to run out of room by 2041 (Sicard, 2017). Furthermore, the sheer amount of metal, concrete, and wood going into burials limits access to these resources for other more pressing issues. Even more, concerning is every year 4 million acres of forest are lost due to manufacturing caskets (Flood, 2021).

6. The Benefits of Shopping Around

A Funeral provider is legally required to give ] a general price list (GPL) where the cost of the items and services home itemized. If the GPL doesn't have specific prices of caskets or outer burial containers, the law requires the funeral director (FD) to show you the price lists for those items before showing you the items through a casket price list (CPL) and/or outer burial container price list (OBCPL).

FTC Funeral Rule requires FD to provide price information on the phone to any caller inquiring. However, Funeral homes are not required by law to mail their priced lists(FTC,2018).

The Funeral Rule is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) they help consumers to purchase only the funeral goods and services wanted or needed and to be required to pay only for those a consumer has chosen. This applies to preneed and at-need funeral arrangements. The Rule helps consumers to compare prices among FH in their area. This Rule doesn't apply to 3rd party sellers like casket companies or monument dealers, or to cemeteries that are lacking an on-site funeral home (FTC,2018).

7. Federal Trade Communications (FTC) Funeral Rule

Preservation Processes and Products
"As far back as the ancient Egyptians, people have used oils, herbs and special body preparations to help preserve the bodies of their dead. Yet, no process or products have been devised to preserve a body in the grave indefinitely. The Funeral Rule prohibits funeral providers from telling you that it can be done. For example, funeral providers may not claim that either embalming or a particular type of casket will preserve the body of the deceased for an unlimited time." (Federal Trade Commission, 2018)