Commentary
Starting in 2027, California will allow composting of the dead. Known officially as “natural organic reduction (NOR),” this novel final disposition process transforms the deceased’s body into soil to spread on gardens or in which to plant flowers or a tree.
Liquefication is another increasingly popular means of body disposal. “Alkaline hydrolysis” liquefies the body’s soft tissues over a period of about 12 hours, after which the sterile liquid is poured into the sewage system, or perhaps, used as a fertilizer. All that remains afterward are the bones and teeth, which are crushed into a powder. Liquefaction is now legal in 21 states, and soon will be in more….