Legalized in the five states of the USA, New York has become the sixth state to allow human composing.
A person can now turn his body into soil after death. It is considered environmentally friendly as compared to cremation and burial.
The process is also known as ‘natural organic reduction’. It is a 60 day chemical free process that allows the body to decompose in a closed container. The body is put in a sealed vessel along with wood chips, alfalfa and straw grass. Under the action of microbes, the body decomposes slowly and gradually.
After a period of around a month – and a heating process to kill off any contagion – the contents are screened for inorganic material and the remaining bone is broken up and put back in. After another 30 days, the contents are returned to the family.
The end result is a heaping cubic yard of nutrient-dense soil. It can be used to plant trees or enrich conservation land, forests, or gardens. Moreover, this process also saves a tonne of carbon compared with a cremation or a traditional burial.
Since traditional burials involving a coffin consume wood, land and other natural resources, proponents of human composting say it is not only a more environmental option, but also a more practical one. Especially in cities where land for cemeteries is limited.
Catholic bishops in New York state, however, have disagreed with the legislation on human composting, arguing that human bodies should not be treated like “household waste”.