Ground Report

Cremations have been steadily increasing in popularity for years, but the economic downturn has led to a sharp rise. Cemeteries in New York, where cremations have typically increased by 10 percent a year, are reporting that they’re up nearly 30 percent in 2008.

“Our cremations in total volume with our funeral homes have doubled and that’s primarily due to the cost of ground burial and entombment,” said Frank Sinatra, Jr. of Sinatra Memorial Home.

Cremations typically cost around $400, less than one-tenth the cost of a traditional burial. In New York, ground burials cost around $5,000 and crypts cost at least $8,500.

However, cremation has been the subject of controversy on both religious and environmental grounds. Jewish and Catholic leaders have debated whether to accept the practice, which has traditionally been forbidden by their religious laws. In Britain, Hindus are awaiting a court decision in their fight to legalize open-air cremations, a traditional Hindu practice.

Crematories have received resistance from local residents who fear that cremation releases toxic chemicals into the air. The Atlanta suburb of Snellville is the latest community to hold a heated debate over the opening of a crematory.