New research from the Greater South East Net Zero Hub and the Cremation Society of Great Britain shows that just 1% of UK cremators run on electricity, even though electric cremators can reduce carbon emissions by 80-90% compared to gas. Around 550,000 cremations happen in the UK each year, and 99% of cremators still burn natural gas or LPG. The Memoria Group operates 21% of its cremators on electricity, far above the national average. The report also notes that coffin materials affect total emissions. Bamboo coffins are often shipped from Asia, adding transport emissions. Cardboard coffins can burn too fast and force cremators to work harder. The findings suggest that switching to electric cremators, especially those powered by green tariffs, is the single most effective change for lowering the carbon footprint of cremations. The full Crematoria Decarbonisation Toolkit was published in November 2025.
