Democratic lawmakers are re-introducing human composting as an eco-friendly burial option this session after a similar bill was never raised for a public hearing last year.
Rep. Christine Palm, D-Chester, said the first year it was introduced it didn’t get far in the process because it was controversial.
Those who are very religious said it was disrespectful to the human body, Palm said, adding that others had very strong opinions against this type of burial.
This process involves being placed in a vessel with wood chips, straw, and other organic materials over the course of several weeks. Through controlled environment conditions and organic materials the body naturally decomposes, creating a soil that can be put back into the earth, creating a new cycle of life.
Human composting would be an option under the control of the Public Health Department, like cremation, embalming and other traditional burials, Palm said. She also said the resulting compost would not be used for agricultural or retail use.
Many states have introduced human composting but it’s only legal in seven states: Colorado, Washington, California, New York, Nevada, Vermont, and Oregon.
Apart from cremation and a traditional burial, Connecticut does offer green burials which is the process of placing someone in a biodegradable casket or shroud without embalming, letting the body decompose naturally. Palm said while this is a good option, human composting eliminates more space than green burials.
“This is the only option [human composting] right now that doesn’t take up any space. Even green burial, which is environmentally friendly, still takes up a big chunk of earth somewhere that could be used for parkland or other purposes,” Palm said.
Human composting and green burials are just two eco-friendly burial options out of many others. Tree pod burials, memorial reefs, mushroom suits, and aquamation (alkaline hydrolysis) are other alternative burial options.
Choice Mutual surveyed 6,000 Americans this year regarding eco-friendly burial options and which one they would prefer, Connecticut residents chose human composting.
Two main reasons come into play when choosing an eco-friendly burial option, according to Choice Mutual. In the same survey, 45% were concerned with the high cost of traditional funerals, Connecticut residents included. The environmental impact of alternative burials was another reason those surveyed would not choose a traditional burial option.
Palm said this year they hope to educate people on human composting and include more voices on the subject.
