For the first time in Colorado, United States (US), a family has chosen to compost the bodies of their loved ones. Turning corpses into fertilizer is legal there.
A new law, which took effect this month in Colorado, allows composting of the human body. After six months of decay, the body will eventually turn into soil and can be used to plant anything from trees to flowers.
"This law first took effect on September 7, and to our knowledge the first client to choose this disposition was laid on a mortuary 'ship' at our facility," said Seth Viddal of The Natural Funeral, quoted by 9News.com.
Viddal is a co-owner of The Natural Funeral. They are the first in the US state to offer composting of human bodies as an alternative to traditional burial options such as burial or cremation. This alternative burial process was previously legal in Washington, before being allowed in Colorado.
"We are effectively recycling so we can reuse the human body which is so precious. It's really a subtle transformation," says Viddal.
The 'vessel' for composting the bodies was in an inconspicuous warehouse. It is there that the body undergoes a natural process of decay for six months.
"The loved ones placed there are surrounded by hay, alfalfa plants, and wood chips, as well as many microbial creatures. A natural process of composting and conversion takes place where the body will gently turn into soil. The alfalfa and the straw and wood chips will blend together. with the body into the ground," he explained.
Produce fertile soil
The result of this well-designed decay is fertile soil that can be used to grow plants, trees, and flowers, thus giving new life.
Colorado law does not allow land resulting from the decomposition of the corpses to be sold or used to grow edible plants.
One body will produce a pickup truck. Families who choose to compost their loved ones after they die, can keep the land, or donate it to the farm.
"We are doing a conversion process that can bring our bodies back to something that can be accepted and used by the Earth. But people who claim to care about the environment are screaming against this choice," said Viddal.
In the weeks since the law came into effect, Viddal admits to getting dozens of calls from people wanting to sign up for the service to prepare for their deaths.
So far, Viddal's company is the only one offering this service in Colorado and has only one 'vessel' for composting, and that will be occupied by one corpse for at least the next six months. When there are more people who take advantage of his services, it looks like Viddal and his team will have to add 'ships' to decompose more corpses.
