The Delaware Senate gave final approval Thursday to a bill allowing the composting of human bodies as an alternative to burial or cremation. The legislation authorizes a practice called natural organic reduction, which is often referred to as human composting. Human composting is currently legal in Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, California, New York and Nevada, and legislation has been introduced in more than a dozen other states.
Supporters of the practice say it is an environmentally friendly and less costly alternative to traditional burials and cremation that uses less energy and doesn’t involve the use of formaldehyde or the release of carbon dioxide and mercury into the atmosphere. They also say it will help reduce the amount of land needed for cemeteries and the amount of timber harvested for caskets. Senate sponsor Laura Sturgeon said natural organic reduction is a “sophisticated process” that uses cutting-edge technology and engineering to accelerate the process of turning a human body into soil. “This choice may not be for everyone, but we can respect those who wish to turn their bodies into soil by allowing this sustainable death care option to be available in Delaware,” Sturgeon said. The organic reduction process involves putting a body into a large tank that also holds straw, wood chips or other natural materials for about 30 days