TERRAMATION
Returning to the Earth with Grace and Reverence
Terramation is an above-ground, indoor process that transforms the human body into rich, life-giving soil. This soil can be used to create a living legacy by nourishing plants, trees, and landscapes for generations to come. Terramation offers a way to honor life, death, and the planet in a single, compassionate choice. It is a process that speaks to sustainability, interconnectedness, and the belief that even in death, we can continue to give back to the earth that has nurtured us throughout our lives.
A Reverent Choice Aligned with Nature
Completely Natural
The only things that go into the terramation process are straw, alfalfa, sawdust, a whisper of airflow, and us. It is a passive and natural process that has been taking place on our planet for eons.
Deeply Meaningful
Knowing that our bodies will continue to participate in nature’s cycles can bring comfort and meaning. The soil that results from terramation may become a tangible representation of life continuing in a new form. This idea of transformation, death leading to new life, can be deeply resonant and offer a way to reframe the experience of loss, seeing it not as an end but as a continuation.
Living Legacy
The soil created through terramation can be used to support reforestation, conservation, ecological restoration, home gardens and flower beds, even potted plants, helping to restore natural landscapes and support biodiversity.
Ecological Restoration
Any portion of terramated remains can be donated to a designate ecological restoration site, often to rebuild topsoil and making reforestation possible.
Carbon Sequestration
By transforming a body into soil, terramation helps sequester carbon, reducing the carbon footprint associated with traditional burial and cremation.
No Harmful Chemicals
Embalming is strictly prohibited in terramation which uses only natural, biodegradable materials, ensuring no harmful substances are released into the environment.
Compassionate Guidance and Support
Wildflower Funeral Concepts is here to support you through every step of the terramation process. Our compassionate team ensures that all arrangements are handled with respect, empathy, and transparency.
Terramation: Honoring Life in Northwest Washington
Choosing Terramation is a heartfelt way to honor a life well lived while contributing to the well-being of our planet. If you are considering this meaningful option or have questions about the process, please contact us. Wildflower Funeral Concepts is here to provide guidance and support during a tender time.
Terramation: Frequently Asked Questions
How does terramation work?
A person is placed into a vessel with straw, alfalfa, and sawdust for approximately 30 days while airflow is gently moved through to stimulate the naturally occurring microbes. The microbes compost the person’s soft tissue, transforming it into safe, sterile, nutrient rich soil. The vessel is continually monitored with sensors and is gently turned at the appropriate time to facilitate the process. After composting, remains are screened for inorganic material such as prosthetic implants. Then bones are reduced to ¼ inch pieces and mixed back in with the composted material and placed into a second vessel to rest and cool for another 30 days. During the rest and cool phase bone material composts completely. After this the process is completed. The result is approximately 250 – 300 pounds of live giving soil with a volume of approximately 1 cubic yard. Families may receive the entire amount of soil, or any portion that they choose. Soil that families do not wish to claim is donated to restoration/conservation projects.
200 to 300 pounds of soil! But, my loved one only weighed 150 pounds. Where did all the extra weight come from?
The extra weight comes from all of the organics, straw, alfalfa, and sawdust that go into the process.
Do chemotherapy drugs persist in the soil?
During the first phase of terramation, microbial activity heats the vessel to approximately 170 degrees for several days. These temperatures destroy most chemicals that may have remained in someone’s system. But trace amounts of chemotherapy drugs may remain. If someone who has been terramated was receiving chemotherapy in the hours or days just before their death, you may want to abstain from planting anything consumable in their soil.
What other names does terramation go by?
The technical and legal term for terramation is natural organic reduction. It is also sometimes referred to as human composting. The media particularly likes that term. We like the word terramation. Terra = latin for earth or land + ation, which as a suffix makes nouns that indicate process, or result.
I have a titanium hip replacement. What happens to that?
Between the first phase and second phase of terramation, terramated remains are screened for non-organic material. All metal, things like hip replacements, knee replacements, pins, screws, and dental metal are removed for recycling.
Is terramation legal?
Yes. In 2020, Washington State, where terramation was invented, was the first state to make it legal. Since then, a total of 12 states have passed legislation, making it a legal form of disposition.