What Happens to a Cemetery When It Gets Full?

Cemetery Space Management Strategies

• Renting Out Plots: Some cemeteries lease burial spaces for up to 100 years before recycling them.
• Reusing Graves: In cases of limited space, graves can be lifted and deepened for new burials.
• Closure and Maintenance: When cemeteries reach capacity, they may close to new burials and open new sites elsewhere.

Conservation of Cemetery Space

• Historical Burial Practices: Reusing burial plots has been a tradition in various cultures, ensuring continued space availability.
• Cemetery Expansion: In some cases, cemeteries may expand into surrounding areas to accommodate growth.

Financial Sustainability of Cemeteries

• Perpetual Care Trusts: Cemeteries fund maintenance by withdrawing from perpetual care trusts.
• Legislative Requirements: Laws often mandate a percentage of sales be allocated to perpetual care funds.
• Operational Adaptation: Cemeteries may close to new burials, open new sites, or combine with other cemeteries to manage limited space.

Cemetery Space Utilization

• Alternative Solutions: Cremation or grave lease renewal programs help maximize land use.
• Sustainable Practices: Some cemeteries rely on lease systems to continue operations beyond full capacity.