California legalises ‘human composting’ burial method to fight climate change

By Malavika Pradeep

Published Sep 20, 2022 at 10:35 AM

Reading time: 2 minutes

Apart from traditional burials and cremations, California has now approved a third alternative to return the deceased back to Earth. On Sunday 18 September 2022, governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 351 into law which will allow residents to choose human composting—also known as natural organic reduction (NOR)—after death, starting in 2027.

Human composting, which is already legalised in Washington, Colorado, Oregon, and Vermont, involves placing the body in an eight feet-long reusable stainless steel vessel filled with biodegradable materials like wood chips, alfalfa, and straw. After 30 to 60 days, the remains will fully decompose into nutrient-rich soil—which can then be returned to loved ones or donated to land conservation.

The bill, drafted by assembly member Cristina Garcia, essentially allows for the organic reduction of human remains and is considered as a more eco-friendly alternative to traditional burial methods.

“AB 351 will provide an additional option for California residents that is more environmentally-friendly and gives them another choice for burial,” Garcia said in a press release. “With climate change and sea-level rise as very real threats to our environment, this is an alternative method of final disposition that won’t contribute emissions into our atmosphere.”

California legalises ‘human composting’ burial method to fight climate change

According to National Geographic, a single cremation process produces an estimated 534.6 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2). Given this figure, cremations in the US alone emit approximately 360,000 metric tons of CO2 every year. Burials, on the other hand, can leach toxic chemicals into the ground. On these terms, the result of human composting is “a completely safe and economical method of final disposition that offers additional choice for people to direct their final wishes,” the press release stated.

“For each individual who chooses NOR over conventional burial or cremation, the process saves the equivalent of one metric ton of carbon from entering the environment,” it continued.

Despite being the fifth US state to approve human composting, the process continues to raise ethical questions. As noted by SFGATE, Colorado’s version of the law states that the resultant soil of multiple people cannot be combined without consent, be sold or be used to grow food for human consumption. While the California bill bans the combining of multiple peoples’ remains, unless they are family, it does not explicitly restrict the sale of the soil or indeed its use to grow food.

The California Catholic Church hence believes that human composting “reduces the human body to simply a disposable commodity.”

“NOR uses essentially the same process as a home gardening composting system,” executive director Kathleen Domingo told SFGATE, adding that the process was developed for livestock, not humans. “These methods of disposal were used to lessen the possibility of disease being transmitted by the dead carcass. Using these same methods for the ‘transformation’ of human remains can create an unfortunate spiritual, emotional and psychological distancing from the deceased.”

The church also emphasised that human composting, which may lead to the soil being dispersed in public locations, “risks people treading over human remains without their knowledge while repeated dispersions in the same area are tantamount to a mass grave.”

Meanwhile, Garcia admitted that she herself may choose this method when she passes away. “I look forward to continuing my legacy to fight for clean air by using my reduced remains to plant a tree,” the assembly member stated.

Keep On Reading

By Abby Amoakuh

What is Megan’s Law and what does it have to do with Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion’s beef?

By Charlie Sawyer

Confessions of a 15-year-old drama queen: digging up my old teenage diaries

By Abby Amoakuh

Netizens are comparing the Israel-Hamas war to the Hunger Games franchise. Here’s why it doesn’t work

By Abby Amoakuh

Sydney Sweeney sex tape leak malware used as bait by hackers on Twitter

By Alma Fabiani

Bad Bunny asks journalism students to help promote his new album

By Charlie Sawyer

Gwyneth Goes Skiing is a campy delight, plus it’s doing wonders for Gwyneth Paltrow’s PR

By Abby Amoakuh

Grand Theft Auto 6 leak reveals game’s first female protagonist and a glimpse into franchise’s future

By Abby Amoakuh

South Africa is challenging the Western-led world order with its genocide case against Israel

By J'Nae Phillips

The girls are using maths and dinner to redefine womanhood, one TikTok trend at a time

By Charlie Sawyer

How to get a refund on your student loan from SLC

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Dakota Johnson fails to name a single Tom Holland Spider-Man movie during Madame Web promo

By Charlie Sawyer

Explaining Swiftonomics: Why NFL stans need to be thanking Taylor Swift big time

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

UK police investigating case of 16-year-old girl’s virtual gang rape in metaverse

By Abby Amoakuh

Ryan Gosling confesses that playing Ken in Barbie was his hardest role ever

By Charlie Sawyer

Diva down: A list of George Santos’ cuntiest moments in Congress 

By Charlie Sawyer

What are ZYN pouches? Tucker Carlson’s go-to nicotine pillows that are fuelling right-wing Gen Z men

By Charlie Sawyer

Five of the best and easiest side hustles you need to jump on in 2024

By Charlie Sawyer

Here’s how Jacob Elordi went from just a pretty face to most promising movie star

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Pigeon accused of being a Chinese spy released after being detained for eight months

By Abby Amoakuh

Everything you need to know about Taylor Swift’s new album The Tortured Poets Department