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As Seen in The Baltimore Banner: Dust to dust: New Elkridge facility offers composting of human remains
The Baltimore Banner
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May 21, 2026
Earth Funeral has opened its first East Coast facility in Elkridge, Maryland, marking a turning point for families across the region who have been seeking a sustainable alternative to burial and cremation.
The Baltimore Banner reporter Jess Nocera chronicles the May 2026 opening of Earth Funeral's 37,000-square-foot Elkridge facility, the company's third nationwide. Earth Funeral CEO Tom Harries founded the company after clients repeatedly asked a question he could not answer with cremation: "How can I become a tree?"
The answer is simple: you can't create new life from the ashes of cremated remains. In recent decades, cremation has rapidly overtaken burial in the U.S., but the process has environmental consequences. With an anticipated 330 million deaths in the next 80 years, Harries said, "it's just not feasible to keep putting people in the ground."
Soil transformation is what comes next. Over approximately 30 to 45 days, the body naturally decomposes into nearly 300 pounds of nutrient-rich soil that families can plant, pot, or share.
Earth Funeral chose Maryland for its central location, which can serve families from Maine to Georgia and into the Midwest. Maryland legalized natural organic reduction in May 2024 when Gov. Wes Moore signed the Green Death Care Options Act.
Baltimore resident Thomas Racioppe pre-planned his arrangements after seeing an Earth Funeral advertisement, wanting to spare his wife the weight of those decisions. "Originally, I thought I wanted to get cremated," he said, "but this process seems a lot more peaceful."
For those who want a traditional funeral service, nothing has to be given up. "The beauty of this is you do not have to compromise on any existing funeral ritual," Harries said. Families can hold services before or alongside the process, and biodegradable letters or keepsakes can be placed in the vessel. "You're almost creating new life through your soils," Harries said. "I think that's another part that really resonates with people."
Return to nature through soil transformation
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Takeaways
- First East Coast Facility:Â Earth Funeral's Elkridge, Maryland location is the company's first on the East Coast, strategically positioned to serve families from Maine to Georgia and into the Midwest.
- How the Process Works: The body is placed in a stainless-steel vessel with organic mulch, wood chips, and wildflowers and monitored for temperature, moisture, and nutrient levels. Over approximately 30 to 45 days, it transforms into nearly 300 pounds of nutrient-rich soil families can use for planting, memorials, or donation to conservation.
- Maryland is Now Legal: Gov. Wes Moore signed the Green Death Care Options Act in May 2024, legalizing natural organic reduction and alkaline hydrolysis in Maryland. The legal landscape has now expanded to more than a dozen states nationwide.
- No Compromise on Ritual: Families can hold a traditional funeral service before or alongside the soil transformation process. Earth Funeral can coordinate all arrangements, including obituaries and a private family room at the Elkridge facility.
- Planning Ahead: Families can arrange soil transformation in advance, as Thomas Racioppe did, making things simpler for loved ones during an already difficult time. Pre-planning removes over 125 decisions from grieving families.
Read the article on The Baltimore Banner
"The beauty of this is you do not have to compromise on any existing funeral ritual."
