This week, Georgia became the 13th U.S. state to legalize human composting, an environmentally friendly after-death alternative to burial and cremation.
The news comes more than five years after Ontario regulators first put out a call for public feedback on "emerging alternative technologies" for disposing of human remains — including composting.
As of today, the practice is still against the rules in Ontario — and everywhere else across Canada.
Known officially as "terramation," human composting involves placing a dead body in a container with a large amount of organic material, such as straw or alfalfa.
After two to three months, the body and organic material form about 1.5 cubic metres of compost, enough to fill the back of a pickup truck. Loved ones can then take the compost home to their garden or donate it to a conservation agency.
“Even now, it can sound pretty wild and pretty different to people," says Morgan Yarborough of Recompose, a Seattle funeral home that was the first in America to offer human composting to clients.
On tonight's episode of 'Closer Look,' we revisit Yarborough's interview on our Inside the Village podcast, where she discussed how the process works, why it's gaining popularity, and why Ontario should get on board.
You can watch the full episode HERE.
Hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media, Inside the Village is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.
Every episode is available HERE. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.
Have something to say? You can reach us at itv@villagemedia.ca.
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