Funeral directors sceptical about human composting idea
Funeral directors are sceptical that human composting could become a reality in the island.
The process sees a body being buried in a specialist container with mulch, after which it becomes compost within a few weeks.
But it is currently not legal in the island and change would not be easy, said funeral director Gary Vaudin of Argent Funeral Care.
‘It would require a paradigm shift in thinking,’ he said.
Similarly, natural burials – where a tree planted on a grave rather than a headstone – do not take place locally, although Mr Vaudin said several years ago the idea of having a site for this was investigated by another funeral company.
Any changes in the law to allow composting would likely take years to approve, he said.
‘I can’t see it taking off, I really can’t. Certainly not in my lifetime, anyway.’
Vaudin’s Funeral Services’ director Jai Vaudin said the issue would be the cost involved in changing laws, which have not been updated since the 1920s. The island’s burial laws date from 1925 and cremation from 1929.
‘This practice has been made popular in the States. I think New York was the latest state to change their laws,’ he said.
He was not averse to the suggestion personally.
‘All in all I think it’s quite a good idea,’ he said, but added he was not sure whether or not it would happen in the island.
He said the problem with the other option, having a tree planted when someone is buried, was that it was not suitable for many people who wanted a family plot, since it was limited to one body per grave.
