The bill is AB 351, and it changes the state’s Cemetery and Funeral Act to enable people to be buried after their body has been reduced to soil post-death.
The bill describes how the body would be handled after someone is deceased. The body would be mixed in with natural materials and air and turned. This process would eventually turn the body into the soil, which can then be buried in the ground.
The soil would then be put in a cemetery or conservation area. Alternatively, the soil can be buried on private property with the property owner’s written permission. It takes significant equipment to make this process happen, and it is said to take approximately 30 to 60 days to complete the entire process.
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Assembly member Cristina Garcia is the one who introduced this bill, and it is said to be an environmentally-friendly alternative to a traditional burial.
She said this bill would provide Californians with an option to conventional burials. Doing so is critically important as sea levels continue to rise and more carbon is pumped into the atmosphere.
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Garcia stated that this bill contributes to her continued legacy of fighting for environmental changes that will protect the land and sea. Many have noted that it is incredibly challenging to think about and face end-of-life choices no matter who you are, and they point out that this will be difficult to talk about with their loved ones even if they genuinely want to do so.
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This method of post-death ritual is believed to be less expensive than a traditional burial in many cases. That is because a traditional funeral costs an average of about $7,848, according to recent figures. However, this disposal method would cost approximately $4,000 to $5,500 to take care of.
Regardless, the bill has received criticism from religious groups who do not feel this is an appropriate way to dispose of a body. No matter where you fall on that specific issue, there is no question that there are going to be some people who are upset about how this legislation was passed and that it now exists in California.
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