It’s not a pleasant thought, but we all will inevitably die one day. When your day comes, will you allow your body to be turned into compost? If you live in New York, that is now an option.

WDOS-WDLA-WCHN CNY News logo
Get our free mobile app

Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation on Saturday, December 31, 2022, which legalizes natural organic reduction, popularly known as human composting. The move makes New York the sixth state in the United States to allow human composting as a form of burial.

The first state to allow human composting was Washington in 2019. Washington was followed by Colorado and Oregon in 2021, Vermont and California in 2022, and now New York.

SEE ALSO: New York’s Life-Expectancy Has Taken a Nosedive

The process of human composting begins with the body being placed into a reusable vessel along with plant matter. The organic mix creates the perfect source of microbes to do their job and that job is to quickly and efficiently break down the body. The time it takes for the microbes to turn the body into the soil is about a month.

Once the body has been composted, all that is left is soil that is so nutrient-dense that it is the equivalent of over 35 bags of soil and can be used in place of traditional soil.

READ MORE: Former NY Asylum Considered One of the World’s Scariest Places

While many find this form of burial and body recycling attractive, the Catholic Church remains firm in its stance that this method is “inappropriate.” However, those in favor of human composting say that it aligns with their belief in living a more environmentally conscious way.

12 Unknown Upstate New York Monuments With Inspiring Stories Behind Them

Statues, monuments and memorials dot the landscape of Upstate New York by the hundreds. Are you the type that likes to pull the car over and take a look? I am. Here are a dozen fascinating statues that have remarkable, inspiring, and, in some cases, little known stories behind them.

31 Random Bits of Knowledge That Could Help Save Your Life One Day

“It’s Raining Cats and Dogs” and Other Sayings Explained

More From WDOS-WDLA-WCHN CNY News