Environment

States eye human composting as green, affordable end-of-life option

Bills in Illinois, New Hampshire and Oklahoma have been passed by one chamber.
In this April 19, 2019, file photo, Katrina Spade, the founder and CEO of Recompose, a company that hopes to use composting as an alternative to burying or cremating human remains, poses for a photo in a cemetery in Seattle, as she displays a sample of compost material left from the decomposition of a cow using a combination of wood chips, alfalfa and straw. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

Lawmakers in at least a dozen states have introduced bills this legislative session to allow for a climate-friendly and more affordable alternative to traditional burials and cremation.

Natural organic reduction, also known as NOR or human composting, is a process in which a body is placed in a container with organic material to hasten decomposition. Over a period of roughly 4 to 6 weeks, the body is turned into nutrient-rich soil that can spread like ashes, be used to plant a tree or flower garden, or donated to a land conservation project. 

Stay informed
Subscribe to keep reading.

Sign up today to get the latest state new at your fingertips and in your inbox.