Human Composting for New York: Transforming the End-of-Life Experience
Cremation and conventional burial carry significant environmental costs, and neither lets your final act reflect your deepest values. Renewed Roots is building an alternative path. Natural organic reduction — also known as human composting or terramation — transforms human remains into nutrient-rich soil, returning you or your loved one to the natural cycle of life. We are working to bring this practice home to New York State.
Founded by Frederick Zindell — an environmental advocate, death care champion, and New Yorker who didn't have human composting available when his mother passed away and is building Renewed Roots so others could choose differently.
What Is Natural Organic Reduction?
Natural organic reduction is the legal, scientifically validated process of transforming human remains into nutrient-rich soil using organic materials — wood chips, alfalfa, and hay — inside a carefully managed vessel. The process takes 8 to 12 weeks and produces approximately one cubic yard of clean, fertile soil that families can take home, use for gardens and memorial trees, or donate to conservation projects.
New York signed natural organic reduction into law in December 2022, effective in 2023, becoming the sixth state to legalize the practice. As of 2026, fourteen states have passed NOR legislation. Renewed Roots is the only death care company founded specifically to bring natural organic reduction to New York State—not a national chain arriving from the West Coast, but a local organization with a personal stake in making this available here.
Produces no net CO2, compared with approximately 535 lbs generated by the average cremation, according to widely cited industry estimates
Returns the body to the natural decomposition cycle with no formaldehyde, no toxic embalming fluids, and no concrete burial vault
Produces approximately one cubic yard of nutrient-dense soil — enough to plant a memorial tree, enrich a garden, or scatter across land your loved one cherished
Legal in New York State since the law took effect in 2023, with the regulatory framework administered by the Division of Cemeteries
How Natural Organic Reduction Works
The body is received and wrapped in an organic shroud
Then you place it in a vessel filled with organic matter such as wood chips, alfalfa, and hay.
Seal the vessel, and the microbes in the organic matter break down the body.
After about 5- 7 weeks, the body is fully broken down and screened for inorganic material, and the bones are ground down and added back to the soil.
The soil is placed in a curing bin for another 3-5 weeks
Your family can take as much soil as they want and use it in houseplants, gardens, or inter the soil at a cemetery that accepts NOR remains
Frequently Asked Questions About Human Composting in New York
What is human composting?
Human composting — formally called natural organic reduction, or NOR — is a process that converts human remains into nutrient-rich soil using organic materials such as wood chips, alfalfa, and hay. The process takes approximately 8 to 12 weeks and produces roughly one cubic yard of clean, fertile soil. It is legally and scientifically distinct from backyard composting.
Is human composting legal in New York?
Yes. New York signed natural organic reduction into law in December 2022, and the law took effect in 2023, making New York the sixth state to legalize the practice. As of 2026, the regulatory framework is established and Renewed Roots is working to bring natural organic reduction to New York State.
How is human composting different from burial or cremation?
Conventional burial uses embalming chemicals, non-biodegradable materials, and land. Cremation generates approximately 535 lbs of CO2 per person according to widely cited industry estimates. Natural organic reduction uses no chemicals, requires no burial plot, produces no net CO2, and returns the body to the earth's nutrient cycle as usable, living soil.
What can families do with the soil?
Natural organic reduction produces approximately one cubic yard of nutrient-rich, pathogen-free soil. Families may keep all of it, take a portion, or donate the remainder to conservation and reforestation projects. The soil is safe for home gardens, houseplants, memorial trees, and land restoration.
When will Renewed Roots be open?
Renewed Roots is working to bring natural organic reduction to New York State. We publish updates through our newsletter as we move toward building a natural organic reduction facility. Sign up to be notified and to document your preference for NOR.