If a traditional funeral doesn’t feel right, there’s a new option that has left TikTok users stunned: human composting.
The inventive process – which starts at $4,950 – involves leaving your remains for terramation, which sees your body returned to the earth by becoming soil.
A recent video which is going viral on TikTok and has over 52 million views, shows a woman choosing this method for her only son.
In the clip, she can be seen taking a photo of a flower-covered body before she vigorously rakes layers of wood chippings around the large body-sized container.
A recent video which is going viral on TikTok and has over 52 million views, shows a woman choosing this method for her only son
A second video shows the same woman cutting the hair of a young person, to add the tresses to the composting box as a gesture of love to the deceased
A second video shows the same woman cutting the hair of a young person, to add the tresses to the composting box as a gesture of love to the deceased.
US-based company Return Home, which launched in 2019, recently shared how their services work on social media via their account @returnhomenor, where they have 659,300 followers, and it has fascinated viewers.
But what does a ‘green burial’ really involve?
Brienna Smith, who works for the company, told NeedToKnow.Online: ‘It’s quite simple really!
‘We load an empty vessel with a mixture of organic materials that are combined to expedite the breakdown of the human body.
‘Over the course of 60 to 90 days, we constantly monitor the oxygen flow, temperature, and moisture level inside of those vessels.
‘This constant monitoring allows us to make adjustments as needed to ensure an unproblematic terramation.’
The burial materials include alfalfa straw and sawdust and all of the bodies are dressed in custom-made gowns made of compostable pressed cotton.
In one of the company’s TikTok videos an employee details what happens to the bones after the body has decomposed.
She explains: ‘After phase one of our process we go into what’s called screening where we are able to remove anything inorganic from the compost and we also remove bone at that time.’
The bones are then places into a cremulator ‘much like you would find in a crematory and we break the bones down into smaller parts… the bones are then reintroduced to the compost and left to cure for another 30 days.
All of the bodies are dressed in custom-made gowns made of compostable pressed cotton
According to the company, terramation is better for the environment as well as ‘gentler’ on the body too
‘The bones are now porous so the microbes can consume them.’
According to Brienna, terramation is better for the environment as well as ‘gentler’ on the body too.
She said: ‘The process is much more gentle on the earth, operator and body itself.
‘Cremation and “traditional” US burial are both damaging to the environment, both using an incredible amount of resources.
‘Terramation requires very little resources and the process is almost completely passive, so very little energy is used.
‘It’s also so much more gentle on the decedent than embalming or cremation, and the body stays completely whole through the process which can not be said of any other disposition method aside from a green burial.’
Some social media users asked if the facility smells.
One of the employees says that there is no smell as there is an ‘incredible’ vacuum system that takes all of the air, gases and moisture out of the building and through a bio filter.
She explains that this means the facility is ‘completely odorless so families can visit at any time.’
After the human body has been transformed into the soil, it is then sent back to the family or it can be scattered.
Brienna says that choosing terramation allows people to be more involved in their loved one’s after life care.
The firm says their burial method requires very little resources and the process is ‘almost completely passive, so very little energy is used’
After the human body has been transformed into the soil, it is then sent back to the family or it can be scattered
One of the employees says that there is no smell at the facility as there is an ‘incredible’ vacuum system that takes all of the air, gases and moisture out of the building
TikTok users have been left blown away by the green burial option, having their say in the comment section
She continued: ‘Terramation, though focused on the sustainability of the death care industry, would be nothing without the people who have chosen the service.
‘Several of our staff have been funeral professionals for their whole adult lives, and our experiences at Return Home have altered everything we thought we knew about death and grief.
‘Those who choose terramation know that they will be offered the ability to be involved in their loved one’s after-life care in as granular a way as they choose.’
TikTok users have been left blown away by the green burial option, having their say in the comment section.
The recent video shows the process of the composting, with text across the clip reading: ‘When your only son dies and you can carry out his wish to be composted all the way to the end…’
‘You’re telling me I could be fed to my plants?’ asked Emily, adding several emotional-looking emojis.
‘When I die I want to made into a tree,’ said Octavia. [sic]
‘Wow I didn’t even know this existed,’ said Elise.
Another user said: ‘I want to be returned to the earth so my energy can live on and provide.’
Jaeden Gomez wrote: ‘This is what I want.’
‘This is beautiful,’ said Warenya.
Rox said: ‘Yess, that’s my last wish also.’ [sic]
‘This is always what I’ve wanted and I didn’t know it was a real thing,’ said someone else.
‘This….this is exactly how I want it to happen,’ another user said. [sic]
One person added: ‘This is so much more beautiful than a typical burial today. You’re taking part in the burial, putting flowers, tucking them in.’
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