Is it unhealthy to live next to a cemetery?

Living near a cemetery doesn’t really affect your home’s value, instead, it shrinks the market. A house near a graveyard might stay longer on the market, waiting for a buyer – up to 48 days, according to Redfin. But it can also sell for a better price.

Are cemeteries toxic?

Cemeteries bear the chemical legacy of their embalmed dead, and well after their graves have been closed. In older cemeteries, arsenic may be the longest-enduring contaminant. A highly toxic and powerful preservative, arsenic was a mainstay of early embalming solutions in the pre- and post-Civil War years.

Are cemeteries contaminated?

Indeed, recent studies conducted found the highest contamination arising from cemeteries originated from minerals that are released by burial loads [1]. From there they may leach into groundwater and become a potential health risk to the residents in areas surrounding the cemetery [3,4,5,6,7,8].

Is it bad to walk in a cemetery?

Don’t walk on top of the graves Cemeteries, after all, are one of the ways we remain civilized – by showing proper care and respect for the dead. One common ritual is to avoid walking on top of the graves where people are actually buried. But avoid simply walking, willy-nilly, all over the graves.

Is it bad feng shui to live near cemetery?

In general, living by graveyards and cemeteries is considered ‘negative’ Feng Shui because on a very practical level, the land is literally home to decaying bodies. So, visually, that could become a huge turn-off and ‘creep’ factor.

Is cemetery water safe to drink?

If humans ingest the contaminated water, it can cause significant health problems over time. Arsenic is a carcinogen that’s associated with skin, lung, bladder and liver cancers, says Joseph Graziano, an environmental health scientist at Columbia University.

Why do cemeteries smell?

Corpses secrete toxic compounds called putrescine and cadaverine, which are responsible for the off-putting smell of decomposition. Cemeteries are heavily landscaped, too, which means a lot of fertilizer.

Do cemeteries have germs?

As a result, many cemetery sites have become polluted with human waste, including bacteria like E. coli. Also, because cemeteries themselves are typically not inhabited, many animals find a niche in them.

Do people live in graveyards?

Some of these slums have developed inside public cemeteries. People sleep in haphazard shanties built on top of graves, or inside mausoleums. It’s free, but there are no basic services such as sanitation, electricity and clean water, let alone adequate shelter.

Why are cemeteries bad for the environment?

If the cemetery is located in a porous soil type, such as sand or gravel, movement of seepage can be rapid and mix easily with the groundwater beneath the site. This could conceivably be a cause of local epidemics from waterborne diseases where the groundwater is used as a water source.

Why is embalming bad for the environment?

One concern that may not be as obvious is the risk from toxic chemicals used to embalm bodies. The decomposition of bodies can pass through the soil and into groundwater, and studies have shown that these chemicals may cause environmental contamination and groundwater pollution over time.

Is it better to buy a house next to a cemetery?

However, a growing number of “green” cemeteries provide natural burials that have as little impact on the earth as possible. A home next to a cemetery doesn’t exactly offer cachet, and as a result, properties near cemeteries tend to spend more time on the market.

Do graveyards affect the value of a home?

“When I’ve traveled to different states and locations, I’ve definitely seen ones that aren’t as aesthetically desirable,” she says. According to research by realtor.com®, the median home price in neighborhoods with a cemetery are about 12\% lower than similar homes in other areas without graveyards.