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Recompose Community Fund

Recompose is committed to bringing ecological death care to as many people as possible. The Recompose Community Fund provides human composting to people who couldn’t otherwise afford the full price of the service.

This includes:

Our Services team is knowledgeable and responsive throughout the 8 to 12 weeks your person is in our care. Our licensed funeral directors have decades of experience providing personalized care and guidance.

Transportation of the body within King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties in Washington State is included in our price.

  • Transport costs within Washington State
    Costs for Washington counties are based on proximity to Recompose. Current pricing for Washington State is listed by county in our Price List.
  • Transport costs outside Washington State
    Transport costs vary by funeral home and region. For example, transport from Portland, Oregon to Seattle costs $850, whereas California to Seattle starts at about $3,000. Most clients that come to us from another state work with a local funeral home to pick up the body and arrange for transport.

Our Services team is here to help. Please contact us at (206) 800-8733 or services@recompose.life to discuss transport options and help with arranging transportation.

If needed, Recompose offers onsite cooled storage for up to four weeks.

The death certificate is a mandatory legal document that registers each death with the appropriate local authorities. Recompose’s Services Specialists will handle the filing of the death certificate for residents Washington State.

If you need a certified copy of the death certificate for a bank or insurance claim, our staff can help you order as many as you need. In most cases, we can assist you in ordering copies from your local vital records office and have them mailed directly to you. Fees for each death certificate vary by county. For example, as of January 2021, King County charges $25 each.

County fees such as Medical Examiner reviews and disposition approval fees are included as a part of the cost for our composting services. Before a death certificate is certified, country registrars and some District Attorney offices review information such as cause of death identified on the death certificate and grant approval for disposition to proceed.

You may choose to have an obituary published on our website and include multiple pictures in a photo gallery. The obituary can include links for guests to make a donation in honor of your loved one. Our staff is available to guide you in writing your tribute.

The transformation into soil will be tailored to your person and managed by the leading experts in human composting. Our Services team will communicate with you at pivotal moments throughout your person’s transformation into soil. You will be updated at key stages of the process.

Eight to 12 weeks after your person is placed into the vessel, they will become nutrient-rich soil ready to nourish the land and give back to the earth.

The amount of soil for each person varies. Typically about a cubic yard of soil is produced that weighs between 500 to 1,000 pounds.

You can choose how much soil to keep or donate to conservation efforts. If you choose to keep your person’s soil, it will be packaged in durable paper bags. 

Note: while soil pick up from Recompose is included in the human composting price, the shipping of soil is an additional cost. See our Price List for more information.

a large and small container holding human composting soil

Recompose currently offers two packaging options: our standard packaging in durable paper bags and a smaller specialty container available for purchase. Learn more about packaging options.

The Community Fund is supported by the profits from the Recompose Shop, speaking fees paid to Recompose staff, and contributions from members of our community.

The Recompose Shop is a way for individuals to contribute to the Community Fund through the purchase of human composting gear and sponsorships. 100% of profits from all purchases go to our Community Fund. Please note that contributions to the Community Fund are not tax deductible.

Recompose considers applications for Community Fund support once a death has occurred. The Community Fund is only available to Washington State residents. Funds are limited so please contact us for information on current availability at services@recompose.life.