A free way to convert corpses into fertilizer | W …

The state of Washington in the United States was the first to pbad a law regulating the use of human compost. This has been confirmed by Governor Jay Inslee. The new regulation will come into effect on May 1, 2020 and could be a "natural organic reduction", that is, transforming a body into fertilizer through a process of mixing it with straw and chips. , among other products.

Human compost was an initiative of Katrina Spade, the first woman to develop the method and founded the company Recompose. According to his supporters, the conversion of human beings to fertile land is beneficial for the environment, as it avoids groundwater pollution by embalming fluids and leachates, as well as carbon dioxide emissions.

In the United States, there are nearly three million deaths a year. The vast majority are buried, others are cremated. With the new system, 500 million tonnes of CO2 could be produced in a decade, according to Spade's calculations. Democratic Senator Jamie Pedersen, who pointed out that cremation is the main option among the dead, was behind the approved measure. Human compost would reduce 1.4 tons of carbon per person. Added to this is the fact that alkaline hydrolysis has been approved, that is to say the dissolution of body tissues by a mixture of water and potbadium which, at high temperatures, leaves only the bones .

The technique has been used in cattle. "The basic principles we learned from composting livestock are very effective for the human research topics we use," said Lynne Carpenter-Boggs, a researcher at the University of Washington. "We have significantly changed the materials used to make them socially acceptable," he added.

"The idea of ​​coming back to nature in such a straightforward way and being put back into the cycle of life and death is actually very beautiful," Spade said to counter the critics of the world. ;Catholic Church. "Getting rid of human remains in this way does not show enough respect for the deceased," said Joseph Sprague of the Episcopal Conference.

In fact, the actor Luke Perry, who died suddenly in March, then asked to be buried with Infinity, a costume consisting of mushrooms and other microorganisms. Coeio, the company that makes it, explained that "Infinity" helps the body break down, neutralizes toxic substances and transfers nutrients to plant life. "

The discussion on human compost also takes place elsewhere. For example, in Holland, where not only compost and hydrolysis were discussed last year, but also cryomation, a method by which a body is frozen and immersed in nitrogen, then thawed to crystallize and sprayed.