Recompose: The First Facility to Produce Human Compost

One way or another, we all leave this world, but except for extraordinary cases, you will likely be able to decide your final destination. Would you prefer a traditional burial? Cremation and scattering at sea or in the wind? Or maybe... would you consider another option? Thanks to a new series of changes in Washington state laws, natural organic reduction is now an accepted method to process remains, and a company called Recompose will offer the first human composting service starting in 2021.

From Dust to Compost

The Bible says we come from dust and to dust we shall return, but does it have to be the fate of our bodies? Dust? Isn't there a more practical or useful alternative? If we consider monetary parameters, the truth is that the human body has a lot of value, but today we're talking about something more basic: Compost.

More than once we've seen images on social media about burying bodies under trees so they serve as a source of nutrients, and from a certain point of view, continuing to live after death. Now, a company called Recompose seeks to offer a similar procedure, turning human bodies into compost so that family and friends can use it later.

How Does It Work?

How exactly does it work? The body is placed in a reusable capsule, covered with wood chips, alfalfa, and hay. The capsule is aerated, so that all the microbes and bacteria associated with the decomposition process can do their work without difficulty. Once finished (it takes approximately 30 days), the result is about 0.75 cubic meters of compost.

Environmental Benefits

The main advantages of Recompose are environmental. First, creating human compost can retain up to a metric ton of carbon dioxide per body. It also eliminates the possibility of contaminating groundwater with the chemicals used in traditional burials, and stops CO2 emissions from cremation or the manufacturing of tombstones.

Future Plans and Questions

The company expects to open its first facility in the spring of 2021, offering both Washington state residents (who benefited from a new law) and those from different regions an ecological alternative more aligned with natural processes. Will it expand to other places? Do you think it will be successful? How does the idea of being compost "voluntarily" make you feel?

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