Debate Erupts After ‘Human Compost’ Used on Land Near San Joaquin River
A proposal to ban a form of human composting in Fresno County is stirring debate after soil created from human remains was used on land near the San Joaquin River.
Fresno County Supervisor Garry Bredefeld says he plans to introduce an ordinance to halt the practice after learning the material had been placed on property owned by the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust. The land, known as Sumner Peck Ranch, sits along Friant Road less than three miles south of Lost Lake.
Bredefeld said he was unaware the process—called natural organic reduction—had been used on the site and criticized the decision to spread the compost on public land he described as environmentally sensitive and culturally significant.
The county has already issued a cease-and-desist letter ordering the nonprofit trust to stop receiving, storing, or using the compost while officials review the situation.
Natural organic reduction is a burial alternative that transforms human remains into soil. During the process, a body is placed in a container with organic materials like wood chips, straw, and alfalfa. Over roughly 30 to 45 days, the remains break down into compostable soil. Advocates say the method is environmentally friendly compared with traditional burial or cremation.
The soil in question was supplied by Earth Funeral, a Washington-based company that partners with families who choose the process. According to the trust’s executive director, the organization has received several deliveries of the compost since last spring and used it to help restore habitat on the ranch.
Supporters say the material was placed in a field not used for growing food and was intended to improve soil health as part of a habitat restoration project along the river.
Human composting was legalized in California through a 2022 law, with statewide regulations set to take effect in 2027. In the meantime, Earth Funeral says it plans to pause its Fresno County projects while the dispute is addressed.
