Human composting has been legalized in six U.S. states but is still not offered anywhere in Europe. In most European countries, the only options upon death are cremation or traditional burial. However, there is growing demand for burial options, especially those that are environmentally friendly.
Cremation produces a large amount of carbon emissions, and burning the body in a coffin releases toxic waste gases such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide. One cremation produces about 245 kilograms of carbon emissions, which is equivalent to charging a smartphone more than 29,000 times.
Traditional burials also have negative impacts on the environment, as chemicals used in the embalming process can leak and contaminate surrounding soil and waterways.
What is Human Composting?
The body is placed in a sealed container and surrounded by a large mixture of alfalfa plants and wood chips, organic matter that aggregates quickly and naturally retains heat, avoiding the expensive fossil fuel expenditures of traditional crematoriums.
Heat accelerates the activity of microorganisms, and in about 30-50 days, the body is converted into organic matter. Bones and teeth do not decompose in this process, but are ground separately using specialized equipment and then mixed with other soil.
The new soil is then left for about another 30 days to allow it to settle and dry before being given to loved ones.
In 2020, a study published by the Catholic University of Leuven investigated how the composting process affects pigs' bodies and found that corpses take much longer than expected to decompose and produce compounds such as ammonia, concluding that "natural composting is not currently a viable alternative to cremation and traditional burial."
A group supporting compost burials said: "The study has serious methodological problems and uses a different humification method than the one it advocates."
Why is compost burial so popular?
Frances Valdes, president of Humusation France, said the appeal of the composting process lies in matching the end of human life with an environmentally friendly lifestyle.
"From death comes life, and that's the process of every life in the forest. When you see all the animals dying in the forest, no one buries or cremates them. The forest absorbs all the deaths that happen every day. Nature manages death, and it's us humans who complicate things."
"Composting is a perfect and natural way to dispose of our remains, and watching new things grow from the soil brings me solace." - Reader response supporting composting
In addition to composting burials, another environmentally friendly funeral is "water burial". Ireland is expected to open Europe's first water burial facility in the coming months.
What is water cremation or aquamation?
The body is placed in a steel container filled with water and an alkaline solution, which is heated to restore the flesh to its chemical composition - amino acids, peptides, sugars and salts. After about three or four hours, only the bones remain, which are then ground into a white powder, placed in an urn and handed over to the family.
In the summer of 2023, Co-op Funeralcare, the UK’s largest funeral provider, announced it would begin offering the service, making them the first business to do so.
Water burials are legal in the UK, but are still subject to health, safety and environmental regulations.
According to British company Resomation, it uses five times less energy than cremation.
Professor Davies of Durham University's Department of Theology and Religion said: "Growing interest in ecology and sustainability over the past decade, coupled with a desire to be part of nature or to rest in a natural environment, means that more and more people are considering the impact their bodies will have on the environment after they die."
The study found that 89% of British people had not heard of "water burial", but after being explained, only 29% said they would choose this method for their own funeral.
In addition to the United Kingdom, Ireland also plans to introduce water burial this year (2024), and the service is also available in the United States, Canada and South Africa.
References：
*euronews.green (2023.2.12)，’From death comes life’: The human composting campaigners lighting the way to a greener afterworld
*euronews.green (2024.2.16)，What is water cremation? UK now offers eco-friendly burial alternative
