Rebuilding coral reefs using human remains - video

A coastal restoration company in the state of Florida is using a very unconventional solution. One of the ingredients used to build coral reefs is human remains.

It sounds quite unbelievable and somewhat macabre, but apparently the way works. What’s more, the solution is gaining popularity among local residents and ocean lovers. As a result, thousands of special reef balls containing human remains have already appeared underwater. These form the foundation for rebuilding reefs on Florida‘s east coast.

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Theunderwater tombstones were designed by engineers from Reef Innovations, who used non-toxic concrete (and human ashes). As a result, it is designed to withstand the clash with underwater currents and provide an excellent substrate for local flora and fauna, including coral growth, among others.

Reef Innovations, in partnership with Eternal Reef, plans to sink nearly 2,500 reef balls containing human remains. These will be placed on the ocean floor along the entire east coast of Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico, on the other side of the peninsula.

Unconventional burial

Family and loved ones create a concrete ‘pearl’ with their own hands from the ashes of a deceased person. The company’s employees then cover it with a fresh layer of concrete, on which loved ones can leave a message or, for example, handprints. Thus prepared human remains are almost ready to be placed on the ocean floor.

Each reef ball is also given a special plaque. Reef Innovations staff then sink the whole thing from the deck of a boat in a memorial ceremony. According to a report by Insider, the whole process costs about the same as a traditional funeral with cremation. So it is an affordable, environmentally friendly and very unique way of burial.

Some experts also claim that, unlike artificial reefs created from various shipwrecks, tanks or underground cars, reef balls are light and completely neutral for the environment. They thus provide the best conditions for coral growth and restoration of local ecosystems.

In Florida, people have long realised that any underwater habitat for life is vital. It is the strong and healthy coral reefs that provide a natural protective barrier. It is they that protect the coast and its inhabitants from the impact of storms and hurricanes, which pose a deadly threat. It should come as no surprise, then, that efforts to protect and enhance coral reefs have been underway in the region for years.