Free Republic

"There is something in us that wants to return to the Earth," terramation provider Return Home CEO Micah Truman said. Arizona has become the latest state in the nation to allow terramation, also known as human composting, as an alternative to traditional burial methods and cremation. House Bill 2081 and Senate Bill 1042, also referred to as the "Grandpa in the Garden Bill," was signed into law by Governor Katie Hobbs on March 29 and gives accredited funeral providers the ability to offer the service. While terramation has grown in popularity over the years, it has faced backlash from many,...

'(I)sn’t traditional burial disrespectful to God’s good, green earth?'DUBUQUE, Iowa (LifeSiteNews) – The Catholic Archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa, has written to urge the faithful to reject “traditional burial methods” in favor of liquifying a corpse in order to be less “offensive” to the earth and environment. Archbishop Michael Jackels made the argument in a letter dated October 20 entitled “Alternatives to traditional burial methods.” Making reference to the “two people” who die every second worldwide and the 2.5 million who die annually in the United States, Jackels declared that this “makes burial practices a significant environmental issue.” 'Liquify’ bodies to...

Wisconsin senators approved a bill earlier this week allowing dead bodies to be dissolved in a chemical bath and disposed like sewage. The bill, Senate Bill 228, authorizes a practice called alkaline hydrolysis, or “water cremation,” which liquifies the human body using a mixture of water, heat, and chemical agents, leaving only bones behind. The liquid is then dumped into the sewage system or boiled off, and bones can be crushed and deposited in an urn. The Republican-led Senate passed the legislation without debate on Tuesday over the objection of the Catholic bishops of Wisconsin.

The bio-solids have become particularly important this year. According to Australia's Bureau of Meteorology, Australia experienced its hottest winter on record. That, coupled with frequent frosts, have made it difficult for farmers to grow their crops. But the sewage sludge is more than a simple fertilizer. It's also good for the environment. That's because plant operators are able to make use of an often-ignored waste product. "We beneficially reuse 100 percent of the bio solids that we generate every year, so that's about 180,000 tons of solid matter," said Gavin Landers of Sydney Water.