US state legalized human composting

The US state of Washington is the first state to legalise human composting, BBC reports.

Under the new law, people there can now choose to have their body turned into soil after their death.

The process is seen as an alternative to cremations and burials, and as a practical option in cities where land for graveyards is scarce.

Katrina Spade, who lobbied for the law to be introduced, founded a company that could be the first to provide the service.

"Recomposition offers an alternative to embalming and burial or cremation that is natural, safe, sustainable, and will result in significant savings in carbon emissions and land usage," she commented.

A body is placed in a hexagonal steel container filled with alfalfa, wood chips and straw. The container is then shut, and the body decomposes naturally within 30 days, creating two wheelbarrows' worth of soil.