NSW Parliament Legalises Human Composting, Opening Terramation Facilities by 2028

A private member's bill introduced by independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich was approved by the NSW upper house, legalising human composting—rebranded as terramation—in the state. Terramation involves placing a body in a vessel with organic material such as hay and sawdust, raising the temperature for several days, and after a month reducing the remains to bone fragments that are later ground and returned to the mix, producing compost for families or land-care projects.

The legislation mirrors practices already allowed in parts of Germany and fourteen US states, and comes as NSW cremation rates have climbed to around 70% in Sydney and 75% regionally due to land scarcity and burial costs. MPs Cameron Murphy, Amanda Cohn and John Ruddick expressed personal interest in being terrammed, while Sarah Mitchell acknowledged the choice aspect and Susan Carter urged caution on post-process soil use. The law requires explicit consent from the deceased and the state will spend the next two years refining regulations before facilities can open in 2028.