Are cardboard coffins allowed in Swiss crematoriums?
Introduction
The cardboard coffin represents a tempting ecological alternative: lightweight, biodegradable and significantly cheaper than a traditional wooden model. For families concerned about the environment or seeking to reduce funeral costs, this option seems ideal. Yet in French-speaking Switzerland, most crematoriums refuse this solution.
The reason? Technical constraints often unknown to the general public. Modern cremation facilities operate with strict anti-pollution standards and require a minimum calorific value to maintain their efficiency. Cardboard, despite its environmental qualities, does not always meet these requirements.
This situation creates legitimate frustration among people who wish to organise ecological funerals. Fortunately, alternatives exist: coffins made from untreated native wood, wicker or rattan models, and biodegradable urns after cremation.
This article explores the technical reasons for refusing cardboard coffins in Swiss crematoriums, examines the regulatory framework and presents the ecological options genuinely accessible today.
📌 Summary (TL;DR)
Cardboard coffins are technically refused by the majority of Swiss crematoriums in French-speaking Switzerland due to their insufficient calorific value and their impact on anti-pollution filters. Although legally permitted, they do not meet the technical requirements of modern facilities.
Accepted ecological alternatives include untreated native wood coffins, wicker or rattan models, and biodegradable urns after cremation. These options allow environmental respect and technical compliance to be reconciled.
📚 Table of contents
The cardboard coffin: an appealing ecological option
The cardboard coffin is attracting more and more environmentally conscious families. Made from recycled corrugated cardboard, it is entirely biodegradable and has a reduced carbon footprint compared to traditional coffins.
Its price is another major advantage: between 300 and 600 CHF, compared to 1500 to 3000 CHF for a classic wooden coffin. This financial accessibility reinforces its appeal.
In several European countries such as the United Kingdom or the Netherlands, the cardboard coffin has become a common option. In Switzerland, the situation is quite different.
The technical reality of Swiss crematoriums
Swiss crematoriums use modern high-temperature furnaces, designed for optimal combustion that complies with strict environmental standards.
These sophisticated facilities require precise thermal balance. The coffin plays a role in this process: it must burn at a rate and temperature compatible with the furnace's operation.
Cardboard poses several technical problems that explain why the majority of Swiss crematoriums refuse it. These constraints are not simply an arbitrary choice, but concrete operational realities.
The calorific value problem
Cardboard burns much faster than wood. Its combustion generates intense but brief heat, creating thermal imbalance in the cremation furnace.
This phenomenon disrupts the cremation process. Furnaces are calibrated for progressive and regular temperature increase. Combustion that is too rapid compromises the quality of the process and can damage the equipment.
Wood, on the other hand, burns slowly and consistently. This stable combustion allows complete and respectful cremation, without thermal stress on the facility.
Filters and anti-pollution standards
Swiss crematoriums are equipped with sophisticated filtration systems to comply with environmental standards that are among the strictest in Europe. These filters capture fine particles and potentially polluting substances.
Cardboard and the adhesives used in its manufacture release particles during combustion that prematurely clog these filters. This considerably increases maintenance costs and reduces the efficiency of the filtration system.
For crematoriums, accepting the cardboard coffin means more frequent technical interventions and significant additional expenses. An economic reality that explains their reluctance.
Why most crematoriums in French-speaking Switzerland refuse cardboard
In French-speaking Switzerland, the vast majority of crematoriums do not accept cardboard coffins. The reasons given are mainly technical: risk of damage to furnaces, clogging of filters, disruption of the cremation process.
Some establishments also mention economic considerations. Premature replacement of filters represents a significant cost that cannot be passed on to families.
A few rare exceptions exist, generally in recent crematoriums equipped with adapted technologies. Even in these cases, strict conditions apply: minimum cardboard thickness, absence of certain types of adhesives, certificates of conformity.
What does Swiss regulation say?
There is no federal legal prohibition of cardboard coffins in Switzerland. Funeral legislation is primarily a cantonal matter, with cantons setting the broad guidelines.
The decision to accept or refuse a cardboard coffin belongs to each crematorium. These establishments define their own internal regulations based on their equipment and technical constraints.
Cantonal regulations may vary slightly, but they generally do not explicitly prohibit cardboard. The refusal is therefore an operational decision, not a legal prohibition. This nuance is important for understanding the situation.
Ecological alternatives accepted in Switzerland
Faced with difficulties with cardboard, several ecological alternatives are available and widely accepted by Swiss crematoriums. These solutions allow you to honour your environmental values without technical compromise.
From untreated local wood to woven natural materials, these options combine respect for the planet and dignity of the final tribute. Discover the concrete solutions available to you.
Untreated native wood coffins
Raw local wood represents the most accessible ecological alternative. Fir, spruce or Swiss pine: these native species are biodegradable and sourced from short supply chains.
Without varnish, toxic adhesives or chemical treatments, these coffins guarantee clean combustion, accepted by all crematoriums. Their price remains reasonable: between 800 and 1500 CHF.
The environmental impact is reduced: limited transport, minimal processing, renewable material. A solution that combines pragmatism and respect for nature. To go further, consult our article on ecological burial.
Wicker or rattan coffins
Wicker and rattan offer a handcrafted and warm alternative. These renewable materials are manually woven, creating coffins with a natural and soothing aesthetic.
Accepted by most Swiss crematoriums, they burn in a stable and clean manner. Their price ranges between 1200 and 2000 CHF, reflecting the artisanal work.
Availability may vary by region. Enquire with your funeral director to find out about local options. These coffins are also suitable for burial in natural settings.
Biodegradable urns after cremation
If you opt for a traditional coffin during cremation, you can then choose a biodegradable urn for the ashes. Made from salt, sand, papier-mâché or clay, these urns dissolve naturally.
This option is perfectly suited to scattering ashes in nature or burial in the ground. In Switzerland, legislation broadly permits the scattering of ashes.
To know the precise rules, consult our article on scattering ashes in Switzerland. A solution that extends the ecological approach to the end.
Other possible ecological gestures
Beyond the choice of coffin, other gestures reinforce the ecological dimension of funerals. Favour local and seasonal flowers rather than imported arrangements.
Avoid chemical embalming products when possible. Choose a ceremony venue nearby to limit travel. Opt for digital announcements: Wolky allows you to publish an obituary online and share it easily.
These choices are part of an overall environmentally respectful approach. To discover all the possibilities, read our articles on the impact of ecology on funeral practices and preparing ecological funerals.
The cardboard coffin represents an appealing ecological option, but the technical reality of Swiss crematoriums limits its use. Its low calorific value complicates the cremation process and can lead to polluting emissions that are difficult to filter. Most crematoriums in French-speaking Switzerland refuse it for these practical reasons, even though the law does not formally prohibit it.
Fortunately, ecological alternatives exist and are accepted: untreated native wood coffins, wicker or rattan, and biodegradable urns after cremation. These solutions allow you to honour the memory of a loved one whilst respecting your environmental values.
If you wish to organise a funeral in accordance with your ecological convictions, do not hesitate to consult our complete guide on ecological burial. And to publish a dignified and accessible obituary, create your announcement in a few minutes on Wolky.ch.
