Colorado Breaks Ground: Legalizing Human Composting
Colorado leads the way by allowing human remains to be composted, marking a major step in sustainable, eco-friendly end-of-life choices.
In a move that places the state at the forefront of end-of-life innovation, Colorado has joined a handful of progressive states by legalizing human composting, or natural organic reduction (NOR), offering a sustainable alternative to traditional burial and cremation practices. By transforming human remains into usable soil, this eco-friendly option is rapidly gaining national attention and reshaping how Americans envision their final footprints.
What Is Human Composting?
Human composting, or natural organic reduction, is a biological process where human remains are converted into nutrient-rich soil using controlled decomposition. This method, originally pioneered in the Pacific Northwest, significantly reduces carbon emissions compared to cremation and avoids the land and chemical use associated with conventional burial.
- The process typically takes four to six months for a body to be fully broken down into compostable matter.
- The end product is about a cubic yard of soil, which can be returned to the deceased’s family or donated to a conservation group.
- It is part of the growing green burial movement that aims to make death care more sustainable and environmentally conscious.
How Human Composting Works in Colorado
In Colorado, as in other states where it is legal, the body is placed in a specialized vessel along with organic materials such as wood chips, alfalfa, straw, or mulch. The process is carefully managed to ensure oxygen levels, temperature, and moisture are optimal for microbial activity. Over time, natural decomposition turns all soft tissue into soil while leaving only inorganic materials (such as dental fillings or prosthetics), which are removed after the process is complete.
- The first legal human composting in Colorado was carried out by The Natural Funeral, a local death care provider, in March 2022.
- The family of the deceased can choose to keep the soil or donate it, often to conservation projects.
Step-by-Step: The Composting Process
- Placement: The body is placed in a composting vessel with organic materials.
- Decomposition: The vessel creates ideal conditions for microbes to break down the remains.
- Cycle: The process typically lasts four to six months, transforming the body into soil.
- Final Processing: The soil is filtered, and inorganic matter is removed.
- Return: The finished soil is given to the family or used in environmental restoration.
Colorado’s Legislative Journey
Colorado became the second state in the U.S. to legalize human composting with the passage of Senate Bill 21-006, also known as the “Human Remains Natural Reduction Soil” law. The law came into effect in August 2021, following the lead of Washington, which originally legalized the process in 2019. Other states including Oregon, California, and New York have since adopted similar legislation.
What others are reading
- Key legal requirements include regulations for the process, such as the handling and distribution of the resulting soil, and rules around business practices for funeral homes offering the service.
- Colorado’s legislation prohibits the use of composted human remains in growing food for human consumption, and restricts the commercial sale of the soil.
Summary Table: States Legalizing Human Composting
| State | Year Legalized | Status/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 2019 | First in nation; led by Recompose |
| Colorado | 2021 | Second in U.S.; active providers |
| Oregon | 2021 | Includes alkaline hydrolysis |
| California | 2022 | Fifth state; rapid adoption |
| New York | 2022 | Part of a green death care push |
The Environmental Case for Human Composting
Traditional funeral practices are resource-intensive and carry negative environmental impacts:
- Burial often involves embalming chemicals, non-biodegradable caskets, and land use for cemeteries.
- Cremation generates greenhouse gases and requires significant energy input (one cremation can emit as much CO2 as driving a car hundreds of miles).
- Human composting dramatically reduces carbon emissions, avoids chemicals, and results in the creation of soil that can restore natural landscapes and sequester carbon.
This alternative aligns with the priorities of an increasing number of environmentally conscious Coloradans and Americans seeking to reduce their ecological impact, even in death.
How the New Law Regulates the Process
Colorado’s regulation of human composting ensures safe, respectful treatment of remains and clarity around final disposition. The law:
- Allows licensed providers to convert human remains to soil through controlled decomposition.
- Amends terminology in the law, adding “natural reduction” or “final disposition” alongside burial and cremation options.
- Outlines penalties and guidelines for improper handling, forbidding the sale of human soil for profit and the use of such soil on food crops.
- Allows the state to dispose of unclaimed soil after 180 days.
- Prohibits commingling remains without explicit consent (unless the soil is abandoned).
Cost of Human Composting in Colorado
As of 2024, the cost for human composting in Colorado averages around $7,900. Although this is comparable to many traditional burial packages, the cost reflects the complexity and labor involved in the controlled composting process. Industry proponents anticipate prices will become more competitive as demand grows and more providers open their doors.
Restrictions and Ethical Guidelines
- The law prohibits any funeral business from selling the resulting soil product or using it commercially to grow food crops for human consumption.
- Mixing or commingling of remains or soil from multiple individuals is banned unless explicit consent is provided by those with the legal right of disposition.
- There are clear, enforceable boundaries to respect cultural, religious, and personal sentiments regarding bodily integrity and final remains.
How Human Composting Fits Into the Green Burial Movement
Colorado’s adoption of human composting is part of the broader green burial movement, which seeks to minimize the ecological footprint of death care. Green burials avoid embalming fluids, fancy caskets, and concrete vaults, and often integrate with habitat conservation projects. Human composting goes further by actively returning nutrients to the soil and creating a cyclical, regenerative outcome from the end of life.
Public Perception and Future Growth
The legalization of human composting in Colorado has been widely hailed by environmentalists, conservationists, and forward-thinking funeral home operators. While the idea of composting human remains once seemed radical or taboo, public opinion has shifted as sustainability and climate concerns have risen to the fore. A growing number of families are now considering composting as a final act of environmental responsibility and an opportunity for a more meaningful, restorative return to the earth.
Funeral directors in the state report an uptick in inquiries about natural reduction, particularly among younger generations and families with a deep connection to the land. Increased availability and education are expected to further normalize this innovative death care option.
Planning for Human Composting: What Families Need to Know
If you are considering human composting as part of your end-of-life plan, or on behalf of a loved one, there are several key steps:
- Discuss your wishes with your family and formalize them in an estate plan or advanced directive.
- Deal only with licensed providers experienced in natural reduction.
- Consider how you want the resulting soil to be used—kept by your family, scattered on private land, or donated to a nature preserve.
- Consult with an estate planning attorney familiar with Colorado’s evolving regulations to ensure legal compliance and smooth execution of your wishes.
Comparing Disposition Methods
| Disposition Method | Environmental Impact | Typical Cost | Time to Completion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional Burial | High chemical & land use | $9,000+ | Immediate |
| Cremation | High CO2 emissions | $6,000+ | Few days |
| Human Composting | Low; regenerates soil | $7,900 | 4-6 months |
| Alkaline Hydrolysis | Low; limited chemical output | Varies | Few hours |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Is human composting legal everywhere in the U.S.?
A: No. As of 2025, human composting is legal in 13 states, including Colorado, Washington, Oregon, California, and New York. Legislation continues to evolve as more states consider it.
Q: What restrictions apply to composted remains in Colorado?
A: Colorado prohibits the use of composted remains to grow food for human consumption and bans selling the resulting soil. Consent is needed to combine remains from different individuals.
Q: How long does the composting process take?
A: The process typically takes between four and six months, depending on environmental conditions, after which the soil is processed and made available to the family.
Q: Can anyone choose to be composted after death?
A: As long as the deceased or their legal representative arranges the process with a licensed provider and abides by state regulations, any individual can choose natural organic reduction in states where it is legal.
Q: What happens if the family does not claim the composted remains?
A: If unclaimed after 180 days, the provider or state may legally dispose of the soil per Colorado statutes.
Conclusion
Colorado’s legalization of human composting represents a transformative shift in American death care. By facilitating a process that honors life’s cyclical nature, reduces environmental harm, and provides families with meaningful options, the state leads a broader movement redefining sustainability—right to our final moments.
References
- https://www.braverman-law.com/blog/planning-for-human-composting-in-colorado/
- https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb21-006
- https://www.us-funerals.com/human-composting-as-a-new-death-care-alternative-a-guide-to-nor/
- https://www.interraburial.com/services-we-provide/composting
- https://recompose.life/human-composting/legal-status/
- https://earthfuneral.com/resources/tracker-where-human-composting-legal
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/08/09/states-legalize-human-composting/85454339007/
- https://publications.lawschool.cornell.edu/jlpp/2022/11/03/dust-to-dust-why-we-should-legalize-human-composting/
- https://www.thenaturalfuneral.com/terramation-human-composting-lafayette-co/
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