A bill allowing human composting received near-unanimous approval in the Delaware House last month.
On Jan. 23, House Bill 162 received a passing House vote of 37-2 and now awaits consideration in the Senate, meaning alternatives to burial and cremation services are one step closer to becoming available in Delaware.
What is House Bill 162?
House Bill 162 was introduced by Rep. Sean Lynn, a Democrat in District 31 in Dover, and seeks to add Delaware to the growing list of states offering human composting, also known as natural organic reduction, as a funerary practice,
What is human composting?
Burial or cremation are the common ways human remains are disposed of. Human composting offers an alternative by allowing the human body to decompose in a “gentle, respectful process that accelerates the decomposition of human remains to soil,” according to a bill summary on the Delaware General Assembly website.
The process uses large vessels to hold human remains together with wood chips, straw or other natural materials for about 30 days, during which the human remains and organic materials are mixed with warm air and periodically turned. This results in the body breaking down until only a soil material remains, which can then be given to the deceased’s family.