Though the principles are the same, loved ones undergoing terramation and kitchen or yard trimmings undergoing composting are on very different paths. First and foremost, loved ones are cared for with respect and dignity throughout the entire terramation , or human composting, process. With our partner, Return Home , there is ceremony, caretaking, opportunities for family participation, and a deliberate focus on upholding respect and dignity. While the biological principles are the same, here is a breakdown of how terramation differs from composting garden and kitchen materials. Shared Principles Both processes rely on microorganisms to transform organic matter into compost. A balance of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and moisture supports microbial activity. Facilities Backyard composting, or even large-scale composting, typically happens outdoors, in a pile, bin, or tumbler. The pace of decomposition depends on the materials, pile size, and how the pile is maintained. Return Home has a dedicated indoor facility with individual vessels for each person. Though timelines vary slightly by individual, the process is monitored and controlled. This design maintains dignity and respect for the decedent and supports the human side of death care. Families can participate in farewell rituals, called laying-in ceremonies , and visit during the terramation process. Their loved one’s vessel can become a place of remembrance, decorated with photographs and meaningful items. Organic Materials Home compost bins begin with a variety of organic material, from food scraps to yard trimmings. Return Home uses a curated mixture of straw, alfalfa, and sawdust in the vessel. Families may also add favorite foods or other meaningful, compostable items. These organic materials fuel the microorganisms that carry out the transformation. Vessels Backyard and home compost bins often continually receive new organic material throughout the process. At Return Home, each person is placed in an individual vessel with all of the organic materials that support terramation. The vessel remains closed during the initial transformation, rather than receiving ongoing additions of organic material. The Process Home composters turn their compost with tools like compost screws, pitchforks, or rotate a tumbler to mix and maintain airflow. At Return Home, there are no mechanisms inside the vessel that mix, rotate, or mechanically reduce materials. The vessel is removed from its holding place and brought to a designated piece of equipment that gently rotates it without ever opening the vessel. After the body’s soft tissue fully decomposes, the remaining bones are mechanically reduced in a separate process outside the original vessel. The reduced skeletal remains are reintroduced to the compost material in a separate second vessel, where microorganisms complete the transformation into soil. Temperature Home compost systems seldom sustain the high temperatures needed to reduce harmful pathogens. This is why it is generally advised not to add meat or animal products to your home compost system. These systems typically lack the volume of organic material needed to generate and retain sufficient heat for the necessary amount of time. However, at Return Home, the vessels reach temperatures above the minimum of 131 degrees Fahrenheit and can reach as high as 160 degrees. They can sustain those temperatures well beyond the minimum 72 consecutive hours required to achieve acceptable pathogen reduction, creating composted remains that can be safely handled and used around your family and pets or scattered in nature. Monitoring A home composter might judge compost by its appearance or temperature. During terramation, temperature provides information about microbial activity and the progress of the process. Return Home constantly monitors airflow into the vessel and vessel temperature to ensure pathogen reduction temperatures are met, and to determine when the material is ready to move to the next stage. Initially, temperatures spike after each time a vessel is rotated. Once the temperature stops spiking after rotation, this signals that the microbes have transformed all the organic material into compost. Aftercare Finished home compost is used to improve soil and support plant growth. Terramated remains can serve this same purpose while also carrying profound significance as a memorial when returned to nature. Families use the remains to nourish memorial gardens or other meaningful plants or and landscapes. Families can also choose to receive as little or as much of the remains as they would like. Any remains not returned to loved ones are used to support conservation efforts. Understanding the connection between home composting and terramation can make this option easier to understand. But terramation also encompasses something deeply human: caring for a person after death, supporting those who love them, and creating opportunities for remembrance. At LifeSource, we’re here to answer your questions about terramation and help you explore whether it fits your wishes. Considering Terramation, or Human Composting, in Los Angeles? Learn more about LifeSource's services or contact our team to discuss your options. Considering or exploring other options? LifeSource offers the following dispositions: Terramation (covered here) Aquamation Flame Cremation Burial at Sea Natural Burial
