Events

Cemeteries occupy a unique place within communities as sites of remembrance, cultural significance, and spiritual connection. They also function as environmental systems, where natural decomposition processes interact with soil, groundwater, and surrounding receiving environments. While the hydrogeological processes associated with cemeteries are relatively well understood, they have received significantly less attention than other waste-derived discharges and groundwater stressors, particularly within contaminated land and groundwater practice.

This webinar will examine necroleachate, the liquid generated during decomposition, and explore how cemetery discharges are understood and managed from an environmental and hydrogeological perspective. Drawing comparisons with other organic waste systems, including landfills, the discussion will consider the similarities and differences in contaminant generation, migration pathways, and environmental risk.

In this webinar, our speaker will explore:

• How necroleachate is generated during decomposition and the factors that influence its composition.
• The movement of burial-derived liquids through soil and groundwater systems.
• Source-pathway-receptor relationships relevant to cemetery environments.
• Similarities and differences between cemetery systems and other organic waste systems, including landfills.
• The influence of hydrogeological conditions on potential interactions with groundwater and receiving environments.
• How environmental risks associated with cemeteries are currently assessed, monitored, and managed.
• Knowledge gaps and opportunities for future research and investigation.
• Practical and proportionate management approaches that balance environmental considerations with cultural, ethical, and social values.

The presentation will also examine how perceptions of cemeteries as cultural and community assets have influenced environmental management approaches. Comparisons with landfill management and contaminated land practice will highlight how established principles may assist in informing future assessment, monitoring, and management frameworks.

Case studies and practical examples will illustrate the processes influencing cemetery-derived discharges, the challenges associated with assessing environmental risk, and how hydrogeological concepts can support evidence-based decision-making.

This webinar will be particularly valuable for contaminated land practitioners, hydrogeologists, landfill engineers, regulators, local government, planners, researchers, and others interested in the intersection of environmental science, groundwater management, and community values. A live Q&A will follow, and the session will be recorded.