Circle Stone

Tombstones and the environment

Every year, approximately 9,500,000 kilos of gravestones are placed in the Netherlands. Of course, people want to commemorate their loved ones with something valuable, a beautiful gravestone made of natural stone such as granite. These beautiful, millions of years old stones are largely imported from India and China. Extracting this granite costs a lot of energy and is a burden on biodiversity, and the working conditions in quarries usually leave much to be desired. Finally, transport also has a major impact on the environment. All in all, this process has major consequences, and it is time for a sustainable gravestone. Greenleave and Stichting DeNuo-steen are committed to preserving valuable natural stone for future generations with Circle Stone.

Circle Stone, the sustainable gravestone

Until now, gravestones were removed after the burial rights expired, which eventually found its place as rubble underneath roads. This is of course a shame, since a granite gravestone can last for generations. The idea of ​​Circle Stone is that used gravestones, after they have been removed, are reworked and come back into circulation as Circle Stone. In this way, no new stone has to be extracted or transported.

How does it work?

When the period of burial rights expires, the cemetery manager will send a message to the surviving relatives. In this letter, they will be given the opportunity to extend the period. If the surviving relatives do not want this, they can choose to keep the gravestone themselves. If they do not want this, the cemetery manager has the option of submitting the stone as a Circle Stone. Then, after the stone has been removed, a stonemason will start restoring the stone. If someone chooses a Circle Stone, the stone will be personalized and placed. Here you can see how restoring a gravestone works:

Where can I find a Circle Stone?

There are currently several stonemasons and a cemetery where Circle Stones are available. The Circle Stone website keeps an updated list: Find a Circle Stone . You may also be interested in our Greenleave approved Willow carrier, Willow shell, and Hemp shroud.