02.01.2023
With this ecological funeral method, the relatives of the deceased could use the compost as fertilizer. However, local Catholic bishops criticize this new regulation on ethical grounds.
New York has become the sixth state of USA in allowing the call composting after Governor Kathy Hochul signed the measure last Saturday (12.31.2022). In Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, and California, this practice is already in use.
Also known as “natural organic reduction,” the practice causes a body to decompose inside a bin of wood shavings, alfalfa, and fodder. Also, to eliminate any possible infection, it undergoes a heating process. After about a month, the body is turned into soil, with which the relatives of the deceased can plant flowers, vegetables or trees.
Method capable of saving a ton of carbon dioxide
According to Recompose, an American funeral company, this service can save a ton of carbon compared to a traditional cremation or burial. However, the process is not cheap and can run as high as $7,000, a price comparable to cremation or burial.
In addition, unlike traditional coffin burials, natural organic reduction does not waste wood, earth, and other natural resources. Proponents of human composting say it’s not only a more environmentally friendly option, but also more practical in cities where space for cemeteries is limited.
ethical issues
But, for some, there are ethical issues about what happens to the soil that results from composting. The Catholic bishops of New York state reportedly opposed the legislation, arguing that human bodies should not be treated as “household waste.” Outside of the US, human composting is legal in Sweden.
ies (AP, BBC)
