California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law a bill that will allow human composting.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law a bill that will allow human composting.
The process involves placing human remains in a steel box with biodegradable materials, which help the body naturally decompose. That produces soil, which is given to family members, who can spread it or use it to grow plants.
The remains can only be given to the family and may not be sold
California is the fifth state to legalise the practice, following Colorado, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. The law will go into effect in 2027.
Conventional burials put high amounts of embalming fluid, steel and concrete into the ground. Allowing bodies to decompose and return their nutrients to the organic cycle is a more environmentally conscious option.
Christina Garcia, who sponsored the California bill, called it “an alternative method of final disposition that won’t contribute to emissions”.
The bill faced opposition from Catholic groups who said human composting turned bodies into a “disposable commodity”.
Land availability for cemeteries is under pressure around the world, including eThekwini, and many cities are turning to grave recycling to meet the need.
Reuters