Human Composting: Experimental Stage in Essonne's Animal Testing Facility
In an innovative and eco-friendly approach to end-of-life options, a groundbreaking experiment is underway in France, where human bodies are being transformed into nutrient-rich soil, or humus, through a process known as terramation. This method, which takes approximately 60 to 90 days, offers an alternative to traditional burial or cremation by gently and naturally breaking down the body.
Terramation is designed to be low-cost, warm, and environmentally sustainable, providing families with a natural way to remember their loved ones by keeping the resulting soil or using it to grow plants. The process utilizes oxygen and vegetable fragments around the corpse to reduce it to humus.
The exact location of the experiment in France is not publicly disclosed, but terramation and body composting are acknowledged and linked to natural burial practices in France. During a garden tour in France, terramation and related practices were shown, suggesting that such experiments are taking place there.
The experiment is currently being carried out on a plot of land designated for green waste at the cemetery of L'Orme-à-Moineaux in Les Ulis. Large sheep carcasses, each weighing approximately 30 kilograms, have been delivered to the cemetery from Rungis, Val-de-Marne, to serve as a test subject for this innovative method.
As the sheep carcasses begin to decompose, they are attracting flies, a natural part of the composting process. The ultimate goal of this experiment is to transform the composted bodies into humus that could potentially be legalized for human use in the future.
This experimental approach to burial is not unique to France. It is already legalized in 13 US states and is experimentally proposed in Germany. As the world continues to grapple with environmentally sustainable solutions for end-of-life practices, terramation presents a promising alternative that honours both the environment and the memory of the deceased.
For those seeking further information about the specific experiment site in France, specialized resources or direct contact with French eco-burial organizations may be necessary.
The experiment in France, involving terramation and body composting, is linked to natural burial practices and takes place on a plot of land at the cemetery of L'Orme-à-Moineaux in Les Ulis. This innovative method, utilizing oxygen and vegetable fragments, transforms deceased bodies into nutrient-rich soil, or humus, thereby promoting health-and-wellness and environmental-science.
