Urban Death Project to Turn Corpses Into Compost TomoNews
go to original April 16, 2015

People may soon be able to choose composting as an environmentally friendly alternative for disposing of their bodies after death if a Seattle-based nonprofit can turn their concept into reality.

The Urban Death Project, brainchild of American architect Katrina Spade, is a human composting system which turns bodies into fertilizer. Before the composting process can begin, the bodies are placed in a refrigerated space for up to ten days.

Families of the deceased then bring the body to the top floor of the three-storey building. The body is then laid in a pool filled with carbon-rich materials including sawdust and wood chips.

As the body degenerates, it makes its way down to a composting bay in the second layer of the core. After several weeks, the body is turned into a nutrient-rich compost which relatives can use to grow a plant commemorating their loved ones.

The non-profit still has to tackle an array of issues including fundraising, land use zoning and funeral home license.

Photo: Mike Belleme/The New York Times

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