More U.S. states have legalized composting of the dead for environmentally friendly funerals.
Cremation or earth burial is a common method of burying the deceased.
However, recently someone has proposed "human composting", which is more environmentally friendly.
Recompose, a Seattle-based company, was the first company in the United States to enter the human composting business.
This new burial method has been legalized in several states and is currently under consideration by California.
What is an eco-burial?
Millions of tons of carbon dioxide are emitted each year due to the use of fossil fuels for cremation.
In addition, burials may involve burying embalmed bodies in the ground, which could allow chemicals to seep into the earth.
In fact, according to Francis Murray, an associate professor of environmental science at Murdoch University in Australia, "decomposing corpses can leach contaminants into the soil and groundwater." ”
Is there a greener way to bury?
In this context, a new idea was proposed: "human composting".
Human composting
Human composting, as Recompose proposes, is to reduce human remains to organic matter, return to nature, and help plants grow.
In the first process of composting, the body is placed in a steel container.
At this time, inorganic materials such as metal fillers, pacemakers, and artificial joints are removed.
It is then covered with straw, wood chips, alfalfa and other organic materials made from plants.
In addition, the temperature, humidity, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and moisture in the container are adjusted, and the body is gradually composted by the microorganisms in the container.
After about 30 days, everything, including bones and teeth, turned into soil (compost) enough to fill two wheelbarrows.
This soil can then be used as compost in the forest or returned to the family.
Advance legalization and attention
Lawmakers in California are currently considering a bill that would allow "the remains to be returned to the soil as organic matter," and human composting could be considered an option in the future.
If all Californians opted for corpse composting, the savings would be the same amount of carbon dioxide emitted in a year to generate electricity for 225,000 homes, more than half of San Francisco's area, supposedly in equal amounts.
California is not the first attempt.
Washington State has already legalized natural organic reductions in 2020.
Human soils can be provided to families or used in forests.
Colorado has similar legislation, but it doesn't allow the use of human manure to grow crops for human consumption.
Now, like California, Delaware, Hawaii and Vermont are considering legalization.
Of course, not everyone is in favor of the new burial method.
There are also concerns that it "lacks respect for the deceased" and "creates an emotional distance".
Regardless, many states will continue to consider human composting as an option. #Knowledge##I do popular science in the headlines ##所见所得, very scientific #
