AB 351, introduced by Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), allows the method in which human remains decompose naturally over a period of 30 to 45 days and turn into soil. This human-composted soil can then be returned to the deceased’s family or donated to conservation land. Proponents say it’s an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional end-of-life options. California will join four other states in the country — Washington, Colorado, Oregon and Vermont — in allowing human composting. “For me this is personal. I’m a caregiver. I’ve had to have these conversations with my family members about the end of life and their wishes and desires,” Garcia said. Garcia said that while there are traditional end-of-life options such as burials and cremation, Californians will soon be able to consider human composting. “I’m excited that we’re doing something that for some people is about the experience they want to share with their loved ones after they die,” Garcia said. He said the new alternative is a respectful, cheaper and environmentally friendly way of returning humans to the Earth as soil. “When we have a casket and we put it in the ground, there are a lot of chemicals that seep into the ground and often end up in our water,” Garcia said. “When we incinerate, we have a lot of carbon emissions.” Micah Truman, CEO of Return Home in Washington, said human composting is an environmentally friendly option. “One incineration takes about 30 gallons of fuel to complete and releases 530 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere,” Truman said. He said human remains are placed in a container where the body turns to soil in 60 days. “When it’s over, we have soil that we give back to the family. The family can put it wherever they want. The rules are identical to cremated remains,” Truman said. Groups like the California Catholic Conference are against human composting because of the lack of dignity for the human body. Truman said this option is growing in popularity and gives people a chance to restart the cycle of life. “What we do when we die is the last thing that happens on this planet, and it’s really important that our last act on this planet is one that responds to that,” he said. Copyright © 2022 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.
