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California

Auggie

(32,509 posts) Tue Sep 20, 2022, 01:07 PM Sep 2022

California's dead will have a new burial option: Human composting

SACRAMENTO — California will begin allowing an alternative burial method known as human composting in 2027, under a bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday.

Assembly Bill 351 by Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) will create a state regulatory process for natural organic reduction, a method in which human remains naturally decompose over a 30-to-45-day period after being placed in a steel vessel and buried in wood chips, alfalfa and other biodegradable materials. The nutrient-dense soil created by the process can then be returned to families or donated to conservation land.

Supporters say it’s an eco-friendly alternative to traditional end-of-life options. Cremation, for example, is an energy-intense process that produces carbon dioxide emissions, while traditional burial uses chemicals to embalm bodies and a nonbiodegradable coffin to store them.

California will join Washington, Colorado, Oregon and Vermont in allowing human composting.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-09-18/will-california-allow-human-composting-the-decision-is-in

But then there's this ...

The California Catholic Conference opposed the bill, saying the process “reduces the human body to simply a disposable commodity.”

“The practice of respectfully burying the bodies or the honoring the ashes of the deceased comports with the virtually universal norm of reverence and care towards the deceased,” said the group, which is the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in California.

--------

The human body is a disposable commodity.

Besides ... my body, my choice.

18 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

California's dead will have a new burial option: Human composting (Original Post) Auggie Sep 2022 OP

I wonder if this will reduce the number of bodies donated to science, Croney Sep 2022 #1

The Catholic Church should read its doctrines. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust .... bucolic_frolic Sep 2022 #2

The church will come around. At one time cremation was not liked. jimfields33 Sep 2022 #13

I have a mental picture of a garden compost bin with a foot sticking out... Ocelot II Sep 2022 #3

ROFL Auggie Sep 2022 #4

Well, if someone is asleep on the job, maybe... hlthe2b Sep 2022 #8

just markie Sep 2022 #5

it is still markie Sep 2022 #6

Only nuclear waste is (essentially) permanent... hlthe2b Sep 2022 #7

I'm in... bahboo Sep 2022 #9

I love it but can you even imagine how bad that would smell at the end? Hugh_Lebowski Sep 2022 #10

Maybe the wood chips alfalfa and other biodegradable materials stuffed into the steal box mask the Maraya1969 Sep 2022 #16

Decomposing flesh does indeed smell bad, but compost smells good. A few feet underground is all it Martin68 Sep 2022 #18

There is a concern Repug bodies could contaminate gardens. Sneederbunk Sep 2022 #11

I am going to the body farm in Tennessee. Butterflylady Sep 2022 #12

I'd like my body to be devoured by mockingbirds GenXer47 Sep 2022 #14

+1 Auggie Sep 2022 #15

I am seriously considering the composting option. I have always said I would want to be buried in a Martin68 Sep 2022 #17

Croney

(4,967 posts)

1. I wonder if this will reduce the number of bodies donated to science,

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 01:11 PM

Sep 2022

which is what I'm considering, just to make myself useful! Composting me sounds good too.

bucolic_frolic

(51,999 posts)

2. The Catholic Church should read its doctrines. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust ....

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 01:11 PM

Sep 2022

Wonder how much money they make from cemetery maintenance, funeral services, overhead? Bet they clip north of $1500 per head, plus annuals.

jimfields33

(19,382 posts)

13. The church will come around. At one time cremation was not liked.

Reply to bucolic_frolic (Reply #2)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 01:48 PM

Sep 2022

Now it’s typical in the church.

Ocelot II

(126,688 posts)

3. I have a mental picture of a garden compost bin with a foot sticking out...

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 01:15 PM

Sep 2022

Kind of like the wood chipper in Fargo.

Auggie

(32,509 posts)

4. ROFL

Reply to Ocelot II (Reply #3)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 01:18 PM

Sep 2022

hlthe2b

(111,080 posts)

8. Well, if someone is asleep on the job, maybe...

Reply to Ocelot II (Reply #3)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 01:30 PM

Sep 2022

markie

(23,549 posts)

5. just

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 01:20 PM

Sep 2022

fuck the Catholics... the human body IS a disposable commodity... get over it

markie

(23,549 posts)

6. it is still

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 01:22 PM

Sep 2022

legal in Vermont to bury on your own property... I am still looking for the best spot

hlthe2b

(111,080 posts)

7. Only nuclear waste is (essentially) permanent...

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 01:23 PM

Sep 2022

We really are inconsequential in the end.

bahboo

(16,953 posts)

9. I'm in...

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 01:32 PM

Sep 2022

Hugh_Lebowski

(33,643 posts)

10. I love it but can you even imagine how bad that would smell at the end?

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 01:42 PM

Sep 2022

I have to imagine that if the remains are returned 'to the family' there'd have to be some kind of process to have them delivered and buried at least a few feet underground, with a tree planted in that spot or something like that.

Much as you may love your dearly departed you aren't gonna want to deal with those remains yourself. They will smell worse than death.

Actually probably a good business opportunity I'm describing here ... a contractor service doing delivery/excavation/deposition/tree-planting.

Maraya1969

(23,332 posts)

16. Maybe the wood chips alfalfa and other biodegradable materials stuffed into the steal box mask the

Reply to Hugh_Lebowski (Reply #10)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 05:31 PM

Sep 2022

smell initially. I don't know how long a body stinks for but it's not forever.

Kind of like people buried in shallow graves are not found by smell.

Martin68

(26,325 posts)

18. Decomposing flesh does indeed smell bad, but compost smells good. A few feet underground is all it

Reply to Hugh_Lebowski (Reply #10)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 06:53 PM

Sep 2022

takes for nature to recycle us.

Sneederbunk

(16,503 posts)

11. There is a concern Repug bodies could contaminate gardens.

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 01:45 PM

Sep 2022

Butterflylady

(4,502 posts)

12. I am going to the body farm in Tennessee.

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 01:47 PM

Sep 2022

I have signed all the forms and had the witnessed. All my family will have to pay is transportation to the farm. I will leave enough money for that expense. Then I will be used for forensic science.

GenXer47

(1,204 posts)

14. I'd like my body to be devoured by mockingbirds

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 02:30 PM

Sep 2022

who were raised on the music of John Coltrane.

Auggie

(32,509 posts)

15. +1

Reply to GenXer47 (Reply #14)

Tue Sep 20, 2022, 03:20 PM

Sep 2022

Martin68

(26,325 posts)

17. I am seriously considering the composting option. I have always said I would want to be buried in a