Talk:Human composting

Law Low‑importance

	Law portal This article is within the scope of WikiProject Law, an attempt at providing a comprehensive, standardised, pan-jurisdictional and up-to-date resource for the legal field and the subjects encompassed by it.LawWikipedia:WikiProject LawTemplate:WikiProject Lawlaw
Low	This article has been rated as Low-importance on the project's importance scale.

Death Low‑importance

	This article is within the scope of WikiProject Death, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Death on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.DeathWikipedia:WikiProject DeathTemplate:WikiProject DeathDeath
Low	This article has been rated as Low-importance on the project's importance scale.

Cemeteries Low‑importance

	This article is within the scope of WikiProject Cemeteries, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Cemeteries on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.CemeteriesWikipedia:WikiProject CemeteriesTemplate:WikiProject CemeteriesCemeteries
Low	This article has been rated as Low-importance on the project's importance scale.

Source for only being allowed in six U.S. states?

Do we have any reliable sources that say that letting a human body rot into the soil is only allowed in six U.S. states? We seem to have citations to show that it is allowed in those six, but do we have anything that says those are the only ones? —⁠ ⁠BarrelProof (talk) 01:10, 7 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I found it in the cited Forward article of December 9, 2022 and the AP News article of December 31, 2022. —⁠ ⁠BarrelProof (talk) 08:01, 7 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

yes i'm seeing earthfuneral.com is showing much more widespread availability in the U.S. present day 144.13.254.102 (talk) 17:14, 20 February 2025 (UTC)[reply]

I have added the additional states based off news reports. --KXPUMVVL (talk) 16:47, 5 May 2025 (UTC)[reply]

California

California legalized this process last year. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/sep/19/human-composting-california-human-remains-green-burial 2600:8801:C913:9C00:E9FA:4045:107F:FD4D (talk) 19:01, 13 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Per article: California (approved on September 18, 2022, to take effect in 2027) Schazjmd (talk) 19:03, 13 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Why is Germany not mentioned in article?

Seems very odd that the German system is completely omitted from this article. Mais oui! (talk) 17:28, 2 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Mais oui!, if you have sources about human composting in Germany, add the information. Schazjmd (talk) 17:32, 2 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]

"Re-earthing" listed at Redirects for discussion

The redirect Re-earthing has been listed at redirects for discussion to determine whether its use and function meets the redirect guidelines. Readers of this page are welcome to comment on this redirect at Wikipedia:Redirects for discussion/Log/2023 August 24 § Re-earthing until a consensus is reached. Skarmory (talk • contribs) 07:43, 24 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Wiki Education assignment: Environmental Studies I

This article is currently the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 21 January 2025 and 18 May 2025. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Imill05 (article contribs).

— Assignment last updated by Hbsaraiva (talk) 15:28, 7 February 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Move prion note to different section

The mention of prion diseases seems out of place in the lede section. There is nothing else in the lede about restrictions or parameters on who/what/where, and the mention of prions is extremely specific, in an otherwise general intro.

Perhaps there needs to be a section of "contraindications" as doctors would call them--times, places, people where composting is NOT safe or appropriate? There may be reasons beyond prion infection to include. Also potentially add WHY prions make a body dangerous to compost? Ephemeropterid (talk) 12:56, 11 April 2025 (UTC)[reply]

I have placed a section called "Precautions and testing" that I believe addresses the concern. As NOR has been legalized and studied, regulations have been adopted dealing with pathogens and toxins.

re: prion disease, I would note that the model for human composting is composting of animal carcasses. An associated concern is from studies of bovine spongiform encephalopathy ("mad cow disease"): prions survive at high temperatures, including those at cooking or heat-treatment, which are hotter than those achieved in common types of composting. KXPUMVVL (talk) 17:20, 5 May 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Input on terminology

Washington and multiple other states now license the process under a legally defined term ("natural organic reduction"). I am seeking out the sources for other states (often obscure codes of regulations) to see what the case is across the board.

I believe the following states the emerging consensus:

"Human composting" is the most general term
However, in those states which legalize and regulate the practice, "natural organic reduction" (or other specific terminology) should be used.

KXPUMVVL (talk) 17:02, 5 May 2025 (UTC)[reply]