Minnesota has officially joined a growing number of states offering families environmentally conscious choices for end-of-life care. As of July 1, 2025, human composting — formally known as Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) — is now legal and available here in Minnesota.
This marks a significant step for those who wish for their final act to be one of renewal, returning their body to the earth in a sustainable way.
What is Human Composting?
Human composting is a process that transforms a body into nutrient-rich soil over thirty to sixty days using natural microbial activity and organic materials such as wood chips, straw, and alfalfa. Families may choose to take home some of the resulting soil for use in gardens or memorial spaces, while the remainder is often used for land restoration and conservation projects.
Human composting was legalized in Minnesota in May 2024, with the law taking effect on July 1, 2025. Minnesota is the 11th state in the nation to allow this practice.
Although natural organic reduction is legal in Minnesota, only Washington and Colorado currently have licensed facilities. Until a facility opens in Minnesota, the body is flown to Washington or Colorado and then the material is returned.
Other Eco-Friendly Burial Options in Minnesota
The following are some other eco-friendly burial practices now legal and available in Minnesota. Green burial providers like Gill Brothers Green Burial Minnesota offer eco-friendly ways for individuals to return to the earth.
- Alkaline Hydrolysis (Water Cremation): Sometimes called aquamation, this flameless cremation method uses water and an alkaline solution instead of fire. The remains are processed into a powder, similar to ashes from cremation.
- Natural (or Green) Burial: The body is laid to rest without embalming fluids, metal caskets, or concrete vaults. Instead, biodegradable shrouds or caskets are used, allowing for natural decomposition.
- Tree Funerals and Biodegradable Urns: Ashes may be buried in biodegradable urns designed to nourish a tree or native plants. While not unique to Minnesota, this option is often incorporated into conservation or memorial landscapes.
- Mushroom Burial Suits: A mushroom burial suit is a biodegradable garment, usually made of organic cotton, embedded with mycelium (mushroom roots) and spores to promote the decomposition of a deceased body while neutralizing toxins and enriching the soil.
Regulations and Considerations
Green burial practices remain subject to Minnesota’s public health and cemetery laws:
- Burial Locations: All burials must occur in a registered cemetery. Home burials are possible only if the property is legally designated as a cemetery and complies with zoning requirements.
- Timing: Without cooling or refrigeration, unembalmed bodies must be buried or cremated within 72 hours. Providers such as Interra Green Burial offer cooling options that extend this 72-hour period to six days.
- Cemetery Development: A temporary moratorium on establishing new green burial grounds expired on July 1, 2025. Existing cemeteries with permission may continue offering green burial options, and more green spaces may be established moving forward.
Cost of Green Burials
Eco-friendly burials are generally more affordable than traditional funerals. Green burial plots and interment typically cost between $1,000 and $6,000, compared with traditional burials that can exceed $9,000. Funeral home service fees may vary, so it’s a good idea to work with a Green Burial Council-certified provider to understand costs and available options.
Plan Ahead with Estate Planning
At Lommen Abdo, our estate planning team can help you document your end-of-life choices to ensure they are honored. Choosing a burial method is a deeply personal decision. By incorporating burial preferences into your estate plan, you ensure that your wishes are known and carried out, easing the burden on loved ones to decide on burial or cremation, and the disposition of your body or cremains. With human composting now legal and available in Minnesota, people have one more green burial option for their end-of-life choices.
Our estate planning attorneys regularly help clients coordinate estate, trust, and end-of-life planning so both practical and financial matters are handled smoothly. Contact us today to learn how we can support you and your family in your estate planning.