Brie Smith, Micah Truman, Katrina Spade, and Thomas Bass discuss the impact and process of composting human bodies. They explore the environmental benefits, legal issues, and efforts to legalize human composting. They also touch on pathogen survival and safety concerns surrounding the practice.
Human composting offers an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional burial and cremation methods, avoiding the release of carbon into the atmosphere and returning nutrients to the earth.
Microbes play a crucial role in human composting, breaking down organic matter and generating heat to promote decomposition, while proper management and testing minimize risks.
Deep dives
Human composting as an eco-friendly alternative to burial and cremation
Human composting offers an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional burial and cremation methods. It involves placing a body in an individual vessel with a mix of carbon-rich materials like alfalfa, straw, and wood chips. Over the course of a few months, microbes break down the body, transforming it into nutrient-rich soil. This process has gained popularity due to its positive environmental impact, as it avoids the release of carbon into the atmosphere from cremation and offers a sustainable way to return carbon and nutrients to the earth. Human composting facilities carefully manage the process, ensuring the right balance of heat, moisture, oxygen, and carbon and regularly testing for harmful bacteria. Studies have shown that compost piles can effectively kill many pathogens, making human composting a safe option if properly managed.
The science behind human composting and its efficacy
Human composting relies on the action of microbes to break down organic matter, including human bodies. Microbes, such as bacteria and fungi, thrive in the composting environment, which provides heat, moisture, oxygen, and carbon-rich material. These microbes generate heat, with compost piles reaching temperatures as high as 150 degrees Fahrenheit, promoting the breakdown of organic matter. While some pathogens can survive in compost piles, proper management, including maintaining high temperatures and regular testing, can minimize risks. Studies have shown that composting processes effectively destroy a wide range of pathogens, including those responsible for avian influenza, salmonella, and foot-and-mouth disease. However, certain diseases, like tuberculosis, and prions, which cause mad cow disease, may require additional measures to break down completely.
Positive experiences and reactions to human composting
People who have been involved in human composting have reported positive experiences and reactions. Families have found solace in the process, engaging in various rituals, such as pouring alcohol, leaving photographs, or sitting beside their loved ones' composting vessels. Individuals who have chosen human composting as their preferred method of after-death care have expressed a sense of peace and connection to nature. They take comfort in knowing that their bodies will contribute to the creation of nutrient-rich soil and support a greener approach to burial. While initial reactions from some families may include hesitation or discomfort, many have found comfort and acceptance through experiencing the soil resulting from the composting process.
Regulations and potential for wider adoption of human composting
Human composting has gained legal recognition in Washington state and other states are also considering legalizing the practice. Regulations stipulate testing for bacteria in the resulting compost and prohibit composting bodies that were affected by specific diseases. Scientific experts have expressed confidence in the safety of human composting as long as facilities maintain high temperatures and regularly test for pathogens. While human composting is still relatively new, ongoing research and experience suggest that it can be a viable and environmentally friendly option for after-death care. As awareness and acceptance increase, there is potential for wider adoption of human composting practices as a sustainable alternative to traditional burial and cremation methods.
In this episode talk to Brie Smith, Micah Truman, Katrina Spade and Thomas Bass.
This episode was produced by Blythe Terrell and Wendy Zukerman, with help from Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler, Courtney Gilbert and Disha Bhagat. Were edited by Blythe Terrell and Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Mix and sound design of this episode was by Bobby Lord. Mix and sound design of our original episode was by Sam Bair. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord, So Wylie and Peter Leonard. Thanks to all of the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Dr John Paul, Dr Lynne Carpenter-Boggs, Dr Muriel Lepesteur, Jean F. Bonhotal, Dr Mark Pawlett, Professor Komla Tsey, Dr Ruth McManus and Dr Julie Rugg. Special thanks to Jimmy Olson, Jonathan Goldstein, Julia Martin, The Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.
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