What Is Human Composting?

영 캠브리지市, 시신 냉동 후 파쇄하는 새 장례법 도입 검토

유세진2011. 1. 6. 17:46

 

【서울=뉴시스】유세진 기자 = 영국 캠브르지시(市)가 기존의 화장 대신 시신을 액체 질소를 이용해 급속 냉각시킨 후 이를 아주 작은 먼지 수준으로까지 파쇄 처리하는 새로운 장례법 도입을 검토하고 있다고 UPI 통신이 4일(현지시간) 데일리 메일을 인용해 보도했다.

 

캠브리지시는 빙장(氷葬, promession) 또는 수분해장(水分解葬, cryomation)으로 불리는 이러한 장례 방법이 전통적인 화장보다 대기오염을 줄여 친환경적일뿐만 아니라 파쇄 처리된 유골을 단지에 담아 보존하거나 퇴비 등에 이용할 수도 있다고 말했다.

 

캠브리지시는 또 알카리 용액을 이용해 시신을 가수분해한 뒤 이를 하수 등을 통해 배출하는 '리소메이션;(알카리 가수분해, resomation) 방식도 검토하고 있다.

 

캠브리지시 장례서비스국의 트레이시 로렌스 국장은 시 내에 매장 장소를 더 이상 찾기 어려워 기존 장례 방법의 변화는 불가피하다며 시는 보다 현대적이고 미래적인 서비스를 제공할 계획이라고 말했다.

dbtpwls@newsis.com

ⓒ '한국언론 뉴스허브' 뉴시스통신사

 

 

친환경 장례 수단:

수장(water cremation), 빙장(promession), 퇴비장(human composting)...

수분해장(水分解葬, cryomation),   알카리 가수분해( 加水分解, resomation)

 

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Resomation - Natural Water Cremation 

Water cremation is the gentle process of returning the body to ashes using water and a small amount of alkali-based solution to speed up the natural process the body goes through at the end of life.

수분해장(Resomation)은 알칼리 용액과 물이 담긴 실린더에 시신을 안치하고 열을 가하는 방식이다. 약 4시간에 걸쳐 시신은 녹아 액체가 되고 유골만 남는다. 수습된 유골은 가루로 처리해 유골함에 담겨 유가족에 전달된다.

 

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가수분해(加水分解, hydrolysis)는 화학 반응시, 물과 반응하여 원래 하나였던 큰 분자가 몇 개의 이온이나 분자로 분해되는 반응을 말한다.

 

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알칼리 가수 분해 장례( alkaline hydrolysis) 는 시신에 알칼리를 넣어 가수 분해 하여 시신을 분해하는 장례이다.

친환경 화장 이나 녹색 화장으로 불린다. 현재 대한민국에서는 동물장례에 한해 사용할 수 있다.

 

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‘Human composting,’ (already legal in 6 states),

could help the planet:  ‘Young people are going to teach us to die better’

 

Seattle-based Recompose, the country’s first-ever human composting facility, helps human bodies turn back into soil. Recompose

 

When Michelle Skaff dies, she’s going to turn into dirt. 

 

The 31-year-old is a client of Return Home, a Seattle-area human composting facility. Its futuristic-looking vessels full of organic material like straw, alfalfa and sawdust can turn human bodies back into soil by mimicking natural decomposition processes, the company says.

 

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What Is Human Composting?

 

Medically Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on January 05, 2023

Written by Sarah Vallie

 

Human composting is the practice of breaking down human remains into fertile soil. The green burial movement, which is at the forefront of human composting, is an initiative dedicated to offering more eco-friendly options for the disposal of a body after death. There are many methods of green burial, like burying a body without first embalming it or using biodegradable caskets or even avoiding caskets altogether. One method that’s gaining traction in the U.S. is human composting.

 

What Is Human Composting?

Composting is the process of recycling organic waste, like food scraps and yard trimmings, into a fertilizer that can be used to nourish plants. This is done by creating an environment in which decomposing organisms, like bacteria and fungi, can thrive.

 

Human composting, sometimes known as natural organic reduction (NOR), uses the same idea as standard composting to provide an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional options like burials and cremation. It’s a growing part of the green burial movement, which aims to offer more eco-friendly ways to dispose of a body after death, including options like casket-less and embalming-free burials.

 

There are several human composting benefits. Most significantly, human composting reduces the toll on the environment and costs less than a traditional burial.

 

Environmental benefits of human composting. Composting in any form is good for the planet. Adding compost to soil provides beneficial nutrients to plants that help them grow. It also helps conserve water. Research shows that when the organic matter in soil increases by just 1%, it helps the soil retain an additional 20,000 gallons of water per acre. Adding organic matter helps prevent erosion and wasted water.

 

By composting, you can keep organic material out of already-full landfills. Landfills are the third-largest producer of human-generated methane per year in the United States, since their waste piles don’t allow air to filter through. When air can’t reach organic matter, it starts to decompose through anaerobic decomposition, which is decomposition by organisms that don’t need oxygen to survive. Anaerobic decomposition creates a gas that is composed of methane and carbon dioxide, both of which are destructive greenhouse gasses.

 

Though human remains rarely end up in landfills, human composting still prevents the release of dangerous chemicals into the atmosphere. Traditional burials and cremations have negative effects on the environment. Embalming for burial uses over 800,000 gallons of toxic chemicals every year. Cremation releases both carbon dioxide and mercury into the air as a byproduct.

 

Financial benefits of human composting. Traditional methods of disposing human remains are expensive, netting the U.S. funeral service industry $20 billion a year. For a traditional burial, you’ll pay an average of $5,000 for the casket and possibly another $5,000-$10,000 for a burial plot. That doesn’t include the cost of embalming or a funeral service. 

 

Cremation is less expensive, but the total cost for cremation services and a funeral can still come to about $7,000. In contrast, the typical cost for human composting ranges between $2,500-$5,000.

 

Is Human Composting Legal?

Only the following US states have made human composting legal:

 

• California
• Colorado
• New York
• Oregon
• Vermont
• Washington

 

New York is the most recent state to legalize human composting. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill into law on New Year’s Eve of 2022.

 

Other states are currently in the process of passing legislation to legalize human composting. To date, these include:

• Delaware: House bill 165 was introduced in April 2021
• Illinois: House bill 4552 was introduced in January 2022
• Massachusetts: House bill 4036 was introduced in July of 2021 and is currently in progress
• Minnesota:  HF 3466 is in progress in the house and a separate bill, SF 3045, was introduced to the senate in February 2022

How Does Human Composting Work?

Human composting methods may vary by company, but the human composting process generally consists of the following steps.

 

First, the body is laid to rest in a container. These containers need to be able to hold a temperature of 130°F–160°F, the optimal temperature range for composting. Carbon-rich materials such as wood chips fill the container along with the body. 

 

The decomposing organisms that break down organic material need both nitrogen and carbon to thrive. They feed on the carbon, while the nitrogen allows them to reproduce and grow. Proper composting requires a ratio of about 25–30 parts carbon for every one part nitrogen. The wood chips or other carbon-rich materials are added to maintain this ratio.

 

While the human body already contains bacteria, a mix of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa may be added to the container to speed up the composting process and ensure that as much of the body is composted as possible.

 

Once all these ingredients are added to the container, the container is sealed. While the body turns to compost, the container must be watched closely to ensure the ideal environment is always present.

 

An internal probe monitors the temperature of the container. If the temperature starts to drop, the container will require more oxygen. One way to add more oxygen is by mixing the compost ingredients. To do this, some human composting companies set up their containers so they can rotate.

 

After the body has turned to compost, it must be held at a temperature of 131°F. To ensure all bacteria are killed off, a sample is sent to a lab to test if the compost is safe for use. The lab will test for bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella as well as heavy metals like mercury.

 

Once the compost has been declared safe, the company can use it to encourage the growth of new plants. Some locations offer a service where the compost can be used to plant new trees. These “tree graves” create food and homes for a variety of creatures. They also provide a location that the family and loved ones of the deceased can come visit in lieu of a traditional grave. 

 

Of course, trees are also important to the health of our planet because they convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. Choosing human composting over other methods not only prevents harmful chemicals from being released into the air but helps nourish plants that help keep the air clean.

 

Human composting: The rising interest in natural burial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDYcdrjVn2k

 

 

Jun 19, 2023 #burial #funerals

 

Natural organic reduction, more simply known as human composting, is a natural process that transforms the body into soil. It has become a recognized alternative to embalming, and a climate-friendly option compared to cremation. Correspondent Ben Tracy visits the Seattle funeral home Recompose, the first human composting facility in the country, and talks with those whose loved ones have gone through the process. #funerals #burial

 

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