Liberty City: Human Composting Offers Eco-Friendly Funeral Option

Liberty City residents now have a new, environmentally conscious end-of-life option: human composting, also known as natural organic reduction. Earth Funeral Group provides this service, which transforms a deceased person's body into nutrient-rich soil within about 45 days, offering an alternative to traditional burial and cremation.

The process mimics natural decomposition. Earth Funeral Group washes and dresses the deceased in a biodegradable shroud, attaching an identification pendant. They then place the body in a specially designed vessel with organic mulch and wood chips. Microorganisms break down the body, creating nutrient-rich soil.

Bones and teeth, which do not fully decompose, are removed and reduced to a fine powder, then returned to the soil. Families receive approximately half a cubic yard of the resulting soil in small, recyclable containers. They may scatter or plant the soil. Unused portions go to a reforestation site for ecological restoration.

Human composting offers environmental benefits. It filters water, provides plant nutrients, sequesters carbon and helps regulate global temperatures. The process uses less energy than cremation and no water, unlike water cremation. Families can schedule memorial services or celebrations of life before, after, or long after the composting.

Eligibility exclusions include individuals with radioactive implants, those who died from radiological incidents, or those with certain infectious diseases like prion disease, mycobacterium tuberculosis, or Ebola. The service has a weight limit of 250 pounds.

Washington legalized human composting in 2019. As of December 2024, 12 states permit the practice, and many others are considering similar legislation.