Green Burial: How Human Composting Is Revolutionizing Eco-Friendly Death Care

Transforming human remains into nutrient-rich soil offers a sustainable, meaningful return to nature at life’s end.

By Sneha Tete, Integrated MA, Certified Relationship Coach

Created on Sep 27, 2025

Transforming human remains into nutrient-rich soil offers a sustainable, meaningful return to nature at life’s end.

As environmental consciousness spreads into all aspects of modern life, a growing number of people are seeking sustainable options for their final passage. Human composting—also called natural organic reduction (NOR), terramation, or soil transformation—is transforming the way we think about burial. Instead of chemical embalming, toxic emissions, or permanent land impact, human composting offers a regenerative, earth-friendly process that helps return nutrients to the soil and support ecological restoration. This article explores the science behind human composting, its environmental significance, how it works step by step, its legal status, and common questions.

What Is Human Composting?

Human composting is an accelerated, controlled method of human decomposition that turns a body into nutrient-rich soil within weeks, rather than decades. Inspired by natural processes on the forest floor, the method uses a combination of organic plant material, oxygen, heat, and beneficial microbes to break the body down safely and efficiently. Unlike traditional burials or cremation, human composting minimizes pollution, requires no toxic chemicals, and creates a positive ecological legacy.

Alternate terms: natural organic reduction (NOR), soil transformation, terramation
Origin: Developed in the United States, with Washington state first legalizing the practice in 2019
End result: One cubic yard of mature, usable soil per body

How Human Composting Works: Step by Step

The entire process of human composting generally takes between two and three months. It closely follows natural decomposition, but advances it using specific environmental controls and carefully managed inputs for safety and completeness.

Step 1: The Cycle Begins

After death, the individual comes into the care of a human composting facility. Families are provided dignified ceremonies and can often participate in the “laying in” ritual, marking the beginning of the transformation to soil.

Step 2: Laying In the Vessel

The body is gently placed in a large reusable vessel—often made of stainless steel, about 8 feet long and 4 feet wide.
Surrounded by a calibrated mix of organic materials such as wood chips, alfalfa, and straw to provide optimal carbon and nitrogen for microbes.
The vessel is closed, maintaining respectful privacy and containment.

Step 3: Microbial Transformation

Inside the vessel, conditions are managed for rapid microbial decomposition. Essential steps include:

Oxygen and airflow are introduced to foster aerobic microbial activity.
The temperature is maintained between 130°F and 160°F (54°C to 71°C) for safe and effective breakdown of the body.
Plant matter and the body are regularly mixed or rotated for even exposure.

Step 4: Soil Formation and Curing

After five to seven weeks, the initial transformation yields soil containing bone fragments and other remains.
Any large bone fragments are processed with equipment, ground to a fine powder, and reintegrated to balance minerals.
Non-organic items (like implants or stents) are removed and recycled where possible.
The soil is transferred to an aerated bin and cures for three to five more weeks, stabilizing pH and completing decomposition.

Step 5: Returning Soil to the Earth

The clean, nutrient-rich soil—about one cubic yard per individual—is returned to the family or used for land restoration, forest conservation, or gardens. The process returns carbon, nitrogen, and minerals to the ecosystem, supporting new life and sequestering atmospheric carbon.

Environmental Benefits of Human Composting

No embalming fluids: Eliminates toxic chemicals present in conventional burial.
No caskets or vaults: Reduces consumption of wood, metal, and concrete.
Low energy use: Unlike cremation, which requires fossil fuels, human composting uses passive heat from microbial metabolism.
Carbon sequestration: Soil produced can help lock carbon in the earth, offsetting greenhouse gas emissions.
Conservation support: Many families choose to donate the soil to conservation lands or reforestation projects, creating new ecological value.

How Human Composting Compares to Other Burial Methods

Burial Method	Environmental Impact	Resource Use	End Result
Traditional Burial	High—chemicals, land, permanent grave	Embalming fluid, casket, vault, land	Body preserved, limited ecological return
Cremation	Medium—CO₂ emissions, some pollutants	Fossil fuels, energy	Remains as ash, little ecological benefit
Human Composting	Low—restorative, no toxins	Organic plant matter, electricity (minimal)	One cubic yard of soil, direct ecological benefit

Legal Status and Availability

First legal in Washington state (2019): Since then, numerous states including California, Colorado, Oregon, New York, Nevada, and Arizona have also legalized NOR.
Growing acceptance: As of 2025, human composting is legal in at least 12 states and is being actively considered elsewhere.
Rising demand: Recent consumer surveys show almost seven out of 10 people are interested in non-toxic, sustainable alternatives for their end-of-life care.
Facility options: Recompose (Seattle), Earth Funeral (Washington & Nevada), and other firms provide NOR services.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How does human composting actually work?

A human body is placed in a sealed vessel filled with plant matter. Microbes break down the body in aerobic (oxygen-rich) conditions over several weeks, producing safe, nutrient-rich soil ready to return to the earth.

Is human composting safe? What about contaminants?

The process is carefully monitored for temperature, oxygen, and microbial activity. Pathogens, pharmaceuticals, and chemotherapy drugs are neutralized and reduced to below safe EPA thresholds by the end of the conversion.

What happens to artificial implants, medical devices, or dental work?

Items like hip replacements or stents are screened out of the resulting soil and recycled whenever possible. Remaining bone is ground and returned to the soil, slowly releasing minerals into the environment.

How long does the process take?

The active composting phase takes about five to seven weeks in the vessel, followed by three to five weeks of curing. The total is around 8–12 weeks.

Is the resulting soil usable anywhere?

Yes. The finished compost is pH-balanced and tested to meet all regulatory guidelines. It’s safe for use in gardens, forests, conservation projects, and similar applications.

Can families receive the soil for their own use?

Most facilities allow families to keep some or all of the resulting soil or donate it to conservation and reforestation initiatives. Distribution depends on local regulations and facility policy.

Is human composting more affordable than other options?

Human composting is competitively priced with traditional burial and green cremation, sometimes costing less if families skip elaborate containers or ceremonies. Pricing will vary based on provider and location.

Is there a religious or cultural limitation?

Acceptance varies by tradition, but many faiths that support natural burial also recognize NOR as consistent with returning the body to the earth. Personal or family values will influence final decisions.

Exploring the Steps in Depth

What Goes Into the Vessel?

Wood chips provide carbon, structure, and aeration.
Alfalfa and straw supply the necessary nitrogen to fuel microbial activity.
Material is tailored to the individual’s body mass to ensure optimal breakdown and minimize odor or environmental risk.

The Science of Microbial Breakdown

Temperature control is essential: too cold, and microbes won’t thrive; too hot, essential flora can die. Keeping vessels between 130°F and 160°F ensures rapid, thorough decomposition and neutralizes pathogens.
Vessel rotation and periodic mixing ensures every part of the contents is aerated and evenly exposed, mimicking animals’ role in turning soil in nature.

Handling Bones and Non-Organic Remains

Most soft tissue decomposes rapidly. Larger bones and teeth do not fully break down in the main composting phase due to their mineral content.
Bones are reduced to a fine powder using specialized equipment and reintegrated into the final soil, making their nutrients available over time.
All non-organic implants are removed and recycled or disposed of per guidelines.

Green Burial: A Holistic Approach to Death Care

The rise of human composting is part of a broader green burial movement that questions long-held traditions about death, burial, and our place in natural cycles. By choosing to return our bodies to earth in a regenerative way, we’re part of an emerging ethos: treating death as an ecological and communal opportunity for renewal.

Other Green Burial Practices

Natural ground burial: Bodies are buried without embalming, in biodegradable containers, allowing for natural decomposition.
Conservation burial: Burial within protected land trusts where proceeds support habitat preservation.
Aquamation/alkaline hydrolysis: Body is dissolved using water and alkaline chemicals, with remains returned as sterile ash.

Next Steps for Interested Families

Research local regulations: Not all jurisdictions permit human composting or green burial—consult providers and legal resources before planning.
Discuss wishes with family: Transparency about end-of-life preferences helps ensure those wishes are honored.
Choose an accredited provider: Facilities like Recompose and Earth Funeral are transparent about process, safety, and legal compliance.

Additional Questions

How much land does human composting require?

Minimal. Unlike traditional graves, human composting does not require a permanent plot, headstone, or cemetery space. The produced soil can be distributed across a wide area or used in conservation work.

Can I pre-plan for human composting?

Yes, most providers offer pre-planning services, much like conventional funeral homes. This helps lock in costs and guarantees your wishes will be met if legal in your state.

Does the process produce strong odors?

No. With careful management of the carbon and nitrogen balance, aeration, and moisture, human composting facilities are engineered to prevent unpleasant odors or environmental contamination.

Resources for Further Information

Recompose – Pioneering human composting facility in Seattle, WA; provides detailed educational material and public tours.
Earth Funeral – Human composting and eco-burial services with a focus on conservation projects in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
National Home Funeral Alliance – Advocacy and educational support for green funeral choices nationwide.

Human composting represents a meaningful, science-based path to honoring life’s connections to the natural world. As society continues to rethink long-standing traditions, green burial options like NOR empower individuals to leave a positive, restorative legacy on our planet.

References

Author

Sneha TeteBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

Sneha is a relationships and lifestyle writer with a strong foundation in applied linguistics and certified training in relationship coaching. She brings over five years of writing experience to thebridalbox, crafting thoughtful, research-driven content that empowers readers to build healthier relationships, boost emotional well-being, and embrace holistic living.

Read full bio of Sneha Tete