PHOENIX, AZ - In addition to traditional burials and cremations, the state of Arizona joins a short list of other states and will soon be offering a third option for when someone passes away.
On March 29th, Governor Katie Hobbs signed into law House Bill 2081 and Senate Bill 1042, also referred to as the "Grandpa in the Garden Bill," which reportedly gives accredited funeral providers the ability to offer the service known as terramation.
Terramation is also known more commonly as human composting and is an alternative to traditional burial methods and cremation.
The bill was sponsored by Republican Rep. Laurin Hendrix and Senator TJ Shope. The bill passed in both chambers with little opposition. It was first introduced in December 2023. Natural organic reduction, another term for terramation, is essentially allowing the remains to be turned into fertile soil, which can then be used in someone's backyard or garden.
Earth Funeral was one of the first companies to provide such a service. The founder, Tom Harries, said that more and more people are looking for "another option" when it comes to how they want their bodies disposed of after death.
Harries said, "The beauty of being transformed into soil versus cremation is the process. It's a gentle and natural process versus a fire cremation. It is better for the environment, which is important for many people."
Terramation is currently only legal in Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, New York, Vermont, and Nevada. Many states, like Arizona, are supposedly in the process of changing laws that currently prohibit the practice.
Natural Organic Reduction of Arizona lobbyist Jake Hinman said in a statement, "This is all about choice. If this process doesn't make sense to you, there are many other options out there for your loved ones, but for those that this does make a lot of sense to, we just want to have this option for Arizonans, and it's really as simple as that."
The process of terramation begins with lining a vessel with organic materials such as straw and woodchips. The body is then placed inside and covered by a compostable blanket along with more organic material. After that, the vessel is sealed and allowed to sit for up to two months. By then, the body has fully decomposed and turned into soil, which at that point is given to the family of the deceased.
The process costs between $5,000 and $6,000, which is significantly less than a traditional burial. A traditional burial can cost more than $12,000 and the cost of cremation is typically between $1,000 and $2,000.
Terramation provider Return Home CEO Micah Truman said in a statement, "There is something in us that wants us to return to the Earth. When we're done we have a material that can then be used to restart the cycle of life." Back in January, AZFamily shared some constituents opinions with James Benoit of Phoenix saying, "I guess it's a way to renew their life. Once they see that flower in the garden or something, it's like that reminds me of grandma or grandpa."
Another person, Ilia Iliev said, "I do think it seems more natural. Seems better for the environment because you are not burning things." Vialou Morales said, "I think I like it; there's less waste. It feels like it's good for the Earth, so why not."
While many may seem in favor of such an option, several people belonging to Catholic groups have criticized the practice. In 2023, the New York State Catholic Conference said in a statement, "A process whereby human remains are composted and scattered 'in a designated scattering garden or area in a cemetary' fails to sufficiently respect the dignity due to the deceased."
Trayton Nepfumbada also was against it, saying, "It just doesn't seem right. Doesn't feel right, actually. I wouldn't want to go into the backyard and say, 'Look at grandpa, he just made a bunch of tomatoes for us.'"
On March 29th, Governor Katie Hobbs signed into law House Bill 2081 and Senate Bill 1042, also referred to as the "Grandpa in the Garden Bill," which reportedly gives accredited funeral providers the ability to offer the service known as terramation.
Terramation is also known more commonly as human composting and is an alternative to traditional burial methods and cremation.
The bill was sponsored by Republican Rep. Laurin Hendrix and Senator TJ Shope. The bill passed in both chambers with little opposition. It was first introduced in December 2023. Natural organic reduction, another term for terramation, is essentially allowing the remains to be turned into fertile soil, which can then be used in someone's backyard or garden.
Earth Funeral was one of the first companies to provide such a service. The founder, Tom Harries, said that more and more people are looking for "another option" when it comes to how they want their bodies disposed of after death.
Harries said, "The beauty of being transformed into soil versus cremation is the process. It's a gentle and natural process versus a fire cremation. It is better for the environment, which is important for many people."
Terramation is currently only legal in Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, New York, Vermont, and Nevada. Many states, like Arizona, are supposedly in the process of changing laws that currently prohibit the practice.
Natural Organic Reduction of Arizona lobbyist Jake Hinman said in a statement, "This is all about choice. If this process doesn't make sense to you, there are many other options out there for your loved ones, but for those that this does make a lot of sense to, we just want to have this option for Arizonans, and it's really as simple as that."
The process of terramation begins with lining a vessel with organic materials such as straw and woodchips. The body is then placed inside and covered by a compostable blanket along with more organic material. After that, the vessel is sealed and allowed to sit for up to two months. By then, the body has fully decomposed and turned into soil, which at that point is given to the family of the deceased.
The process costs between $5,000 and $6,000, which is significantly less than a traditional burial. A traditional burial can cost more than $12,000 and the cost of cremation is typically between $1,000 and $2,000.
Terramation provider Return Home CEO Micah Truman said in a statement, "There is something in us that wants us to return to the Earth. When we're done we have a material that can then be used to restart the cycle of life." Back in January, AZFamily shared some constituents opinions with James Benoit of Phoenix saying, "I guess it's a way to renew their life. Once they see that flower in the garden or something, it's like that reminds me of grandma or grandpa."
Another person, Ilia Iliev said, "I do think it seems more natural. Seems better for the environment because you are not burning things." Vialou Morales said, "I think I like it; there's less waste. It feels like it's good for the Earth, so why not."
While many may seem in favor of such an option, several people belonging to Catholic groups have criticized the practice. In 2023, the New York State Catholic Conference said in a statement, "A process whereby human remains are composted and scattered 'in a designated scattering garden or area in a cemetary' fails to sufficiently respect the dignity due to the deceased."
Trayton Nepfumbada also was against it, saying, "It just doesn't seem right. Doesn't feel right, actually. I wouldn't want to go into the backyard and say, 'Look at grandpa, he just made a bunch of tomatoes for us.'"
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