What is a reef ball burial?
How much does reef burial cost and can anyone have one? Let's learn more about this alternative funeral option.
What is a reef ball burial?
A reef ball burial is an alternative to traditional burial. It involves mixed cremated ashes with concrete to form reef balls – structures on the sea floor that mimic actual reefs, encouraging fish and crustaceans to gather.
Reef ball burials take place in areas where marine life has been depleted. Some evidence shows that it leads to rewilding (restoring an area to its natural state). But while it's eco-friendly in this respect, it still requires a carbon-intensive cremation and is made out of non-biodegradable concrete.

Reef ball burials are similar to memorial trees. They use a person's ashes to create a living tribute – one that can be visited (or, in this case, dived to) by loved ones. It's usually done for divers or lovers of the sea.
Become a coral reef when you die
When you die, you can choose to become a coral reef. Your body is cremated and then a portion of your remains is mixed with pH-balanced concrete.
In this context, "pH-balanced" means the concrete is mixed using fibreglass. This gives it the same pH balance as the sea.

The structure is then placed on the sea floor, becoming a new reef-like marine habitat. Loved ones are given GPS coordinates for the reef ball so they can dive down and visit.
How much does a reef burial cost?
Reef ball burials cost different amounts depending on the provider and location. A 2022 article in
The Guardian put the figure at somewhere between $3,000 and $7,500 (£2,200–£5,500). In Britain's only reef burial site off the coast of Dorset, the service cost
£3,500 in 2024.
Reef ball burial FAQs
What is a reef ball?
A reef ball is a structure made out of concrete that attracts marine life and makes a reef-like environment. Ashes can be mixed with the concrete for a reef ball burial.
Where are reef ball burials carried out?
Reef ball burials are most popular in the USA, where there are more than 30 locations. These include sites off the coast of Florida, New Jersey and Texas.
In the UK, there's the square-kilometre "Solace Reef" off the coast of Weymouth and Portland. This has been seeded with baby lobsters – an example of how reef balls can help rewild marine environments.
Other sites include the Jurien reef in Western Australia, Resting Reef in Bali and a lagoon in Venice, Italy.
How are ashes added to a coral reef?
The ashes aren't added to an existing coral reef. Instead, a portion of a person's ashes is mixed with concrete to create a structure that acts like a coral reef.
What is Neptune Memorial Reef?
Three miles off the coast of Key Biscayne, Florida, lies the world's first underwater cemetery: Neptune Memorial Reef.
It's a resting place for cremated remains whose design is meant to conjure up the Lost City of Atlantis. It's also a research hub for marine biology students and researchers.
What is an oyster reef ball?
Oyster reef balls are reef balls made specifically to provide a habitat for oysters. Like other reef balls, they're spherical or dome-shaped structures made from concrete that mimic a natural reef.
What sea life can live in a reef ball?
Reef ball burials attract fish and crustaceans. The effects can be quick. In Neptune Memorial Reef, for instance, the sea life population had exploded within two years and continues to grow to this day.
What does a reef ball burial look like?
Reef balls can be spherical, dome-shaped or pyramid-shaped.
How long does a reef burial last?
A reef ball burial structure is expected to last for around 500 years.
Are reef ball burials eco-friendly?
Reef ball burials are often marketed as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional funerals. They don't use embalming chemicals and don't take up space in the ground. However, they require both cremation and the use of concrete – two carbon-intensive processes.
What is the difference between a reef ball burial and a sea burial?
A reef ball burial involves mixing ashes with the concrete used to make a reef ball. This is then placed on the sea floor to attract marine life.
A sea burial, by contrast, consists of burying a person's body at sea. This has to be done in a designated spot and the body has to be prepared in a specific way. An alternative method involves scattering ashes over the sea or another body of water.
Arrange the funeral you want with AFD
At AFD, we work with people from all walks of life, all faiths and all backgrounds. We offer a listening ear and a compassionate approach from the beginning of the process to the end. Get in touch via
our webpage or on our 24/7 phone line on 020 8355 7876.
