Human Composting Statistics

By: Team Earth

Oct 04, 2022 | Human Composting 101

2 min read

Note: The green funeral statistics on this page are kept under review to reflect the most up to date information available. For further information on human composting (also known as natural organic reduction), please explore the linked resources at the bottom of the page.

Human composting

Human composting - basic facts

30-45 days

The human composting process takes approximately 30-45 days. The exact length of the process varies depending on the size of the body.

1 cubic yard

Human composting produces an approximate cubic yard of soil.

$5,000-$7,000

The cost of human composting varies based on factors such as location, provider and the exact services chosen.

Human composting statistics

7 states

Human composting is currently legal in seven states: Washington, Oregon, California, Vermont, Nevada, Colorado and New York.

7+

Human composting is available beyond these seven states. Residents of states that have not yet legalized body composting can arrange for transportation across state lines.

69,290,000 people

There are more than 69 million residents in states where human composting is legal.

Green funeral statistics

60.5%

According to NFDA research conducted in 2022, 60.5% of people are interested in exploring green funeral options

350

The Green Burial Council estimated in March 2022 that there are 350 green burial cemeteries in the US and Canada.

The funeral industry and the environment - statistics

4.3 million gallons

Cornell University’s Mary Woodsen estimates that more than four million gallons of embalming fluid are used in US burials each year, in addition to:

20 million board feet of hardwoods
1.6 million tons of concrete
64,500 tons of steel

1 billion lbs

Cremation uses fossil fuels to maintain temperatures of 1900° F for between one and three hours at a time.

Each cremation produces 535 lbs of CO2, which is equivalent to a 609 mile car journey in an average sized car.

In total cremation produces about 1.04 billion lbs of CO2 each year in the US alone.

Other human composting resources

Sep 07, 2023

Changes to the Funeral Rule: What Does it Mean for the Future of Human Composting?

The FTC is holding a workshop in September 2023 to hear from the funeral industry, consumer groups, and human composting providers about ways to update the Funeral Rule

2 min read

Aug 15, 2023 | Green Funeral Practice

Table: How Your Funeral Impacts the Environment

While some of the negative environmental impacts of traditional funerals are obvious, others are less commonly considered, and the full extent of an individual funeral’s effect is often underestimated.

3 min read

Aug 16, 2023 | Green Funeral Practice

Table: How to Make Your Funeral Greener

While the most environmentally-friendly option will always be to opt for a green funeral method such as human composting, the information below will be helpful where such an option is unavailable.