The following blog post was written by Casey Husseman Brandt, Executive Director of People's Memorial Association, in response to the December 14, 2024 Seattle Times article: 5 years after its legalization in Washington, human composting takes root by Brendan Kiley. Casey and PMA recommend you read that article for context, as the article is referenced and quoted many times!
At People's Memorial Association, we've spent 86 years advocating for affordable, dignified deathcare for all. Even in the short time I've been the executive director, I've seen how hungry consumers are for more diverse options for how they care for their loved ones. More and more folks are especially interested in learning more about the environmental impact of the options available and what they can do to make their deaths as "green" as their lives. It makes me proud to be part of an organization that worked so hard to legalize human composting and alkaline hydrolysis back in 2019, and continues to work hard to make sure Washingtonians know their options, as well as their rights.
Greener funeral options completely flip the script of what a “traditional” American funeral looks like, and that’s a good thing. Composting is the direct result of Jessica Mitford’s work on 1963’s The American Way of Death. The best-selling book examined the state of deathcare in our country, asking tough questions and asking us to dream bigger about what we need to care for our loved ones. When I was growing up, like many people, I parroted the phrase, “I want to be a tree after I die.” Composting is the closest the funeral industry has ever come to delivering this service! It’s beautiful, it’s creative, and it’s awe-inspiring in the face of the finality of death. I’m proud to be able to offer it as a service through The Co-op Funeral Home and proud to see its adoption increase.
Part 1 of 4: The State of Green Deathcare, 2019-2024
In 2019, when Washington State was the first to legalize human composting, few could have predicted how quickly this innovative disposition method–or method for handling a dead body–would gain traction. On December 14, 2024, the Seattle Times wrote the article titled “5 years after its legalization in Washington, human composting takes root.” In those five years, we at PMA have seen remarkable progress in both public acceptance and industry development.
What began as a novel concept has become a growing segment of the deathcare industry. The numbers tell the story: three facilities in King County perform human composting, with a combined capacity of 138 vessels–one body per vessel, according to the Seattle Times. Together, they've composted approximately 2,000 bodies over the past five years, representing about 1.4% of all Washington deaths. While this percentage might seem small, it represents significant growth for a completely new disposition method that didn’t become available to the public until five years ago. And the reach of who can access composting services is larger than three funeral homes! People's Memorial Association surveyed over 200 funeral homes all across Washington state in 2022 and nearly 25% of funeral homes were already offering composting services. If you’re curious if your local funeral home offers composting, give them a call and ask, or check out the results of PMA's statewide price survey and see for yourself.
“A 2024 consumer survey by the National Funeral Directors Association found 68% of respondents were interested in “green” funeral options, up from 55.7% in 2021.” -- Brendan Kiley, Seattle Times article December 14, 2024
Perhaps most telling is the shift in consumer sentiment. According to recent data from a survey conducted by the National Funeral Directors Association, "68% of respondents were interested in 'green' funeral options, up from 55.7% in 2021." “Green” is a broad label and includes a wide range of services from alkaline hydrolysis to green burial to composting. Current estimates indicate that composting is by far the greenest method available, as the nutrient rich soil this process produces is the fastest and clearest pathway to achieving that dream of becoming a tree... or even nurturing an entire forest. Notably, this growing interest in environmentally-friendly deathcare spans traditional demographic and political divisions, with the Seattle Times pointing out that "the process has gained bipartisan support and appeals to both urban environmentalists and rural farmers."
It's intriguing to see how the internet has shaped this industry development. As Brienna Smith, office manager and funeral director at Return Home, explains in the Seattle Times article, "The internet [...] brought the idea directly to consumers, who got excited. The funeral industry couldn’t hold NOR at arm’s length forever." Direct-to-consumer education has has been instrumental in tackling any initial skepticism toward this newer option and has driven the accelerated adoption across the country.
Part 2 of 4: What’s it called? Why composting goes by so many names
If you’ve wrinkled your nose at the term “natural organic reduction,” you aren’t alone. Back in 2019, our state legislature chose the term when human composting was first legalized as a result of SB5001: Concerning Human Remains. While technically very accurate, the term isn’t widely used outside of regulatory circles. It’s a mouthful, so at PMA we often shorten it to “NOR.” We had to agree with Elemental Funeral Home owner Jeff Jorgensen when he pointedly asked in the Seattle Times recently, "Who's gonna click on a headline that says 'natural organic reduction?'"
In our work educating Washingtonians about the deathcare options available to them, we find that people are often more familiar with brand names like “terramation” and “aquamation” than they are with legal terms like NOR or alkaline hydrolysis (another care option included on SB5001). You’ll come across even more names as you look at the options available in other states. This diversity of terminology reflects a niche industry still defining itself: green deathcare. Leaders in this space have the challenge of balancing technical accuracy with public understanding. While "human composting" remains the most widely recognized term in media coverage so far, we expect the language to keep changing as public understanding grows.
It's important to know that though businesses like Recompose and Return Home are broadly offering the same service of what the state of Washington defines as “the contained, accelerated conversion of human remains to soil,” each business offering it has their own unique, proprietary process. We really enjoyed this 2024 article in Rolling Stone that delves a bit into the different methodology offered.
By trademarking their specific processes and terminology, these companies have positioned themselves to license their systems and brand to other funeral homes. This approach could accelerate the industry's growth while creating additional revenue streams for the original pioneering companies. It will be interesting to see in the coming years how business-to-business partnerships between NOR providers and more conventional funeral homes will change the access to alternative deathcare options. Our 2022 price survey showed that in just 2 short years 20% of Washington funeral homes were already offering composting to their customers through exactly those kinds of partnerships! Consumers are eager for an array of options and smart businesses are keeping their fingers on the pulse of the industry.
Section 3: Who are the players - Recompose, Return Home, and Earth Funerals
The growth of human composting services in Washington state tells an interesting story about innovation in the funeral industry. Three distinct providers have emerged, each carving out their own niche: Recompose leads in concept and design, Earth Funeral focuses on efficiency and scale, while Return Home emphasizes openness and family involvement.
Most people are likely familiar with Recompose, the first provider on the scene, led by founder and CEO Katrina Spade. As the Seattle Times notes, "Codesigned by Recompose founder Katrina Spade (who trained in architecture, not mortuary science) and Alan Maskin (a principal at celebrated architecture firm Olson Kundig), the building radiates a message: We are here to offer you something different." And delivering something different is what they did. Their design highlights our place in the natural world, setting the standard for how composting facilities could look and feel. People's Memorial Association worked alongside Katrina Spade and a number of members of the community to advocate for the legalization of this option, alongside alkaline hydrolysis. 5 years on, and with a $7,000 price point for their services, Recompose has positioned themselves as a premium service provider as they continue to advocate for expanded access to natural organic reduction around the country.
In Washington, Return Home entered as the second provider, taking a more economically accessible approach. Their $4,950 price point reflects their use of innovative, cost-efficient materials and processes. What truly sets them apart, however, is their commitment to being an open community space. The Seattle Times describes them as "the zenith of transparency... the mood is more homespun, almost familial." Families of the deceased are encouraged to visit or sit beside their loved one’s vessel at Return Home’s Auburn facility while the approximately eight week process takes place.
Though People's Memorial Association is contracted with both Return Home and Recompose, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the newest addition to the natural organic reduction scene in our state: Earth Funerals. The newest entrant, these folks have major corporate backing through their affiliation with Service Corporation International (SCI), the nation’s largest funeral home conglomerate. As this May 2023 SCI press release states, “Five Seattle-area [SCI-owned] funeral homes are now offering a new option for the final disposition of human remains through their partner, Earth Funeral: human composting.” Though they themselves are not owned by SCI, by aligning itself with the approximately 20 SCI-owned funeral homes in Washington, Earth Funerals has gained access to a very large portion of the state’s market. Their focus on efficiency and scale is evident in their streamlined 30-45 day process, compared to the estimated 8-week timeline of their competitors. Their starting price of $3,950 makes them the most affordable option available.
“That’s the cool part of this process. It’s just biology, accelerated biology. Nothing chemical, nothing mechanical.” Earth founder, Tom Harries.
What's particularly notable is how these companies have attracted significant investment capital. "Earth reports around $25 million in investment, Recompose around $22 million and Return Home about $4 million," the Seattle Times article states. This level of investment signals strong confidence in the future of composting, despite less than 1% of deaths reported in 2024 choosing composting for their disposition method. Each company appears to be pursuing different strategies for scaling– from licensing technology to vertical integration with existing funeral homes.
One of the most encouraging developments has been this niche industry's approach to transparency and education. As Return Home's founder Micah Truman astutely notes in the article, "The questions we don't know the answers to, we make up dark solutions for. That's why we have horror movies set in funeral homes." This commitment to openness has helped demystify the process for consumers. This goal speaks to us in particular at People's Memorial Association, where we work to improve access to easy to understand information about funeral options and consumer rights. We’re excited to see how more conversation about environmentally-friendly deathcare options like human composting are going to contribute to a changing social attitude to our mortality.
Stay tuned for Part 4 of 4 of this blog series...
