- Human composting is the process of transforming human remains into soil.
- Advocates say it’s more environmentally friendly than casket burials and cremation.
- Despite the seemingly novel burial method, it’s not dissimilar from many cultures’ traditional practices of returning a body to the ground.
Californians will soon have a new end-of-life burial option: human composting.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law Sunday that creates a state regulatory process for “natural organic reduction,” or transforming human remains into soil. The law will go into effect in 2027.
California is the fifth state to legalize human composting, on the heels of Oregon, Washington, Colorado and Vermont. Advocates say the process is a more environmentally friendly option than casket burials and cremation, and despite the seemingly novel burial method, experts say it’s not dissimilar from many cultures’ traditional practices of returning a body to the ground.