NY Green-Lights Composting of Human Bodies

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation on Saturday to allow a form of burial known as human composting—the sixth state in the country to legalize it. The process is similar to composting food: the remains are put in a vessel with wood chips and other plant materials that help it break down into soil. The eco-conscious say this method is better for the environment than traditional burial, but Catholic bishops in the state oppose it. “A process that is perfectly appropriate for returning vegetable trimmings to the earth is not necessarily appropriate for human bodies,” Dennis Poust, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference, told the Associated Press.