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As Seen In CBS News Baltimore: New Howard County facility brings human composting to the East Coast
CBS Baltimore
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May 21, 2026
CBS Baltimore reporter Dennis Valera covered the opening of Earth Funeral's new facility in Elkridge, Maryland, the largest human composting facility in the country and the company's first on the East Coast.
The facility marks Earth Funeral's expansion beyond its existing locations in Washington and Nevada, made possible by Maryland legislation passed two years ago legalizing natural organic reduction in the state. Earth Funeral invited elected officials, media, and families already interested in the process for a preview tour on Wednesday.
Valera walks through how the process works: remains are wrapped in a biodegradable shroud and placed inside a custom vessel with organic mulch, wood chips, and wildflowers. CEO Tom Harries explained that the vessel simply accelerates what would happen naturally, yielding nutrient-rich soil in about 30 days. "You have something that is much more accessible than cremated remains," Harries told CBS Baltimore. "You can keep this soil, you can plant this soil, maybe it's for a potted plant, maybe it's for a memorial garden."
The story features Stephen Spiese of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who transported his wife's remains to Washington before the Maryland facility existed. He used her soil to plant something in her memory. "She's very nature-oriented, and when she found Earth Funeral, she said I think that's the way I wanna go," he told CBS Baltimore. "To be laid in that rich soil, surrounded by wildflowers, I can't think of a thing she would've wanted more than that."
Harries framed the East Coast opening as a matter of accessibility: "Families who've wished to choose this have had to fly loved ones to the West Coast. That incurs costs, complexity, and we believe if you resonate with this option, you should be able to do it locally."
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Takeaways
- Largest in the Country: Earth Funeral's Elkridge facility is the largest human composting facility in the United States, marking the company's first location on the East Coast.
- Made Possible by Maryland Legislation: Natural organic reduction became legal in Maryland two years ago, enabling Earth Funeral to expand beyond its Washington and Nevada locations.
- No More Cross-Country Transport: East Coast families no longer need to fly remains to the West Coast, bringing down cost, complexity, and carbon footprint.
- How It Works: Remains are wrapped in a biodegradable shroud and placed in a vessel with organic mulch, wood chips, and wildflowers. The vessel accelerates natural decomposition, producing nutrient-rich soil in approximately 30 days.
- Meaningful Ways to Use the Soil: Families can pot, plant, or share their soil, keeping a living connection to the people they love.
Watch more on CBS
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, let's put the dust in the ground to help other things grow."
