Many pet parents dream of returning their beloved companions to the earth—scattering ashes under a favorite tree, in a backyard garden, or across the prairie. But few realize that cremated remains, despite being called “ashes,” are not soil-friendly.

Flame cremation doesn’t produce soft ash like a campfire. Instead, it creates bone fragments that are processed into a fine, chalky substance known as cremains. These cremains are highly alkaline

Flame cremation requires extreme heat—typically 1,400 to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. To maintain these temperatures, crematories use significant amounts of non-renewable fossil fuels like natural gas or propane. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (2021), a single cremation consumes enough fuel to power the average home for 3 to 4 days. Multiply that across the country’s estimated 1.6 million pet cremations annually, and the environmental cost becomes staggering.

Many families choose flame-based cremation without knowing the environmental costs. One of the most significant—and least discussed—issues is the amount of greenhouse gas released during the cremation process. Each flame cremation relies on extremely high temperatures, usually generated by burning natural gas or propane. According to research from the Funeral Consumers Alliance (2023), a single pet cremation can emit between 160–190 lbs of CO₂. Multiply that by the millions of pet cremations each year, and the environmental toll becomes clear.