Human Composting: The Most Eco-Friendly Burial

Also known as natural organic reduction (NOR), transforms your loved one's remains into nutrient-rich soil through a controlled decomposition process. Their body is placed in a vessel with natural materials like wood chips, straw, and alfalfa, promoting microbial activity. Over several weeks, the body breaks down into soil, which can then be used to enrich gardens, forests, or other natural spaces.

Human composting is considered a sustainable choice because it avoids the use of embalming chemicals, the resources/space needed for conventional burial, reduces carbon emissions, while providing nutrients to the earth.

As we mentioned above, human composting has a host of environmental benefits, but there are a number of other reasons why you would want to choose this form of disposition.

• Less Traditional Funeral: If you're looking to plan a less formal celebration of life ceremony, composting would make a great option for a green burial.
• Give Back To The Earth: Creates nutrient-dense soil that can be used to enrich gardens and forests. This helps restore and nourish natural environments.
• Costs Less: When you account for the cost of a traditional funeral service, embalming, gravestones, composting is significantly cheaper.
• Eco-Friendly : Reduces carbon footprint, waste, and avoids harmful chemicals used in embalming.
• Space Efficient : Requires less land than traditional burial plots.

The human composting process has a biological transformation similar to decomposition on the forest floor. This natural process utilizes beneficial microbes to break down the human body into nutrient-rich soil over several months. It transforms human remains into a valuable resource for the environment.

How Long Does Human Composting Take?

The entire process spans up to 120 days, encompassing stages such as body preparation, decomposition, and final transformation.

Preparing the Body

The process starts by preparing the deceased. The human body is surrounded by a mix of organic materials like wood chips, alfalfa, and straw to aid decomposition. Once sealed in the composting vessel, the transformation into soil begins.

For about five to seven weeks, the body and plant materials remain in the vessel, transforming into nutrient-rich soil. This stage prepares for the subsequent decomposition phase driven by microbial activity.

Decomposition Phase

Beneficial microbes drive molecular changes during decomposition, thriving at temperatures between 131°F and 160°F. Over approximately 30 days, they transform the body into nutrient-dense material.

A controlled environment within the composting vessel ensures efficient and safe decomposition, producing nutrient-rich soil and minimizing environmental impact.

Final Transformation

After the process, the transformed material is removed from the vessel and allowed to cure for two to six weeks, enhancing its quality. This phase ensures the soil is stable and nutrient-rich, making it an excellent fertilizer.

The final product is about one cubic yard of nutrient-rich soil created, ideal for enriching gardens and forests.

Typically costs between $4,000 and $7,000, making it a reasonably cost-effective alternative to traditional burial methods.

To give you some comparison, here are some average costs of other common memorial methods:

• Full Cremation : $2,500 - $6,000

• Full Burial : $8,000 - $12,000

• Natural Burial : $3,000 - $6,000

1. Washington

2. Colorado

3. Oregon

4. Vermont

5. California

6. New York

7. Nevada

8. Arizona

9. Maryland

10. Delaware

11. Minnesota

12. Maine

These states have passed legislation allowing human composting as a legal option for body disposition. You can find more details on the legalization efforts and the process.

There is legislation to legalize human composting in the following states:

1. Connecticut
2. Hawaii
3. Illinois
4. Massachusetts
5. Missouri
6. New Hampshire
7. New Jersey
8. New Mexico
9. Oklahoma
10. Pennsylvania
11. Rhode Island
12. Utah
13. Virginia

You can find composting facilities all over the United States, providing accessible options for those interested in this eco-friendly practice.

Recompose: Seattle, Washington

Recompose is one of the pioneers in human composting, offering services that transform human remains into nutrient-rich soil. They emphasize sustainability and offer a holistic approach to death care.

Includes the entire process from body transportation to the transformation into soil, with the option for families to keep some of the soil.

Return Home: Auburn, Washington

Return Home offers a "Terramation" process that also converts human remains into soil. Their approach is family-centric, allowing loved ones to be involved in the process if desired.

Their service includes transportation within a certain distance, the transformation process, and a portion of the soil returned to the family.

Earth Funeral: Washington State

Earth Funeral focuses on providing eco-friendly funeral services through human composting. They use a gentle process to convert remains into soil, with an emphasis on reducing environmental impact.

Offers transportation, the composting process, and options for the soil to be returned to the family or used in environmental projects.

Planning a human composting memorial involves creating a meaningful, eco-friendly farewell that aligns with the deceased's values.

• Choose a Human Composting Facility : Select a licensed facility in a state where it's legal.
• Decide on Memorial Type : Options include a simple gathering, a life celebration, or a more traditional service.
• Personalize the Ceremony : Incorporate elements like readings, music, or rituals that reflect the person's life.
• Involve the Community : Invite family and friends to participate in the process or share memories.
• Use the Soil : Consider spreading the composted soil in a meaningful location, like a garden or forest.