New York: New York has become the sixth state to allow human remains to be composted and used for agriculture after death.
New York Governor Cathy Hoechl signed the new law last weekend.
This law was first enacted in 2019 in Washington, USA.
The law went into effect in Colorado and Oregon in 2021, and in Vermont and California in 2022.
Such a decision had to be taken because of the huge cost and difficulty in finding a place for the funeral.
The corpse is composted by adding chemicals in a large reusable bin. Through chemical reactions, the body becomes nutrient dense soil. A dead body composted in this way turns enough compost into 36 bags of compost. Very suitable for tree planting and organic farming.
Greenspring Natural Cemetery Manager Michelle Mentor said composting can be beneficial in urban areas where cemeteries are limited.
News and Photo: PP Cherian