FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — The San Joaquin River Parkway Trust will no longer use human compost at its 76-acre property in Fresno County. The agreement ending nearly a year’s long partnership with Earth Funerals.
“It’s a more environmentally friendly way to deal with somebody after they die,” said San Joaquin River Parkway Trust Executive Director Sharon Weaver.
According to Earth Funerals, this alternative involves a 45-day process in which it explains a body is transformed into nutrient-rich soil.
“It has all the normal components of compost. We do a test on every load. Earth Funeral has to do a lot of testing at their site to make sure they are complying with regulations,” said Weaver.
“It’s still illegal and safe or unsafe; people still have the right to know,” said Fresno City Council member Nick Richardson.
Last month, the River Parkway Trust received a letter from the San Joaquin River Conservancy stating the Trust could not use human composting on its property any longer — with a deadline of 30 days to remove the compost from its site.
“We were in the process of responding to that letter when all of this started this week,” said Weaver.
On Wednesday, the Trust received a cease-and-desist letter from the Conservancy.
“It had been a week and a half since we received that letter, so we feel like they jumped the gun a little bit; we hadn’t even had a chance to respond to that letter yet before they escalated the situation,” said Weaver.
In a press conference on March 5, board members of the San Joaquin River Conservancy alleged the San Joaquin River Parkway Trust was using human composting along the river off Friant Road in Fresno County.
The sprawling property includes a half-mile of San Joaquin River frontage and wildlife habitat plus farmland in Fresno County.
“Not human waste, human remains that has been turned into compost into the soil,” said San Joaquin River Conservancy Chairman Garry Bredefeld.
The River Parkway Trust said despite receiving deliveries from Earth Funerals for the past year, the decision to comply with the cease-and-desist letter would not be difficult.
By ABC 30″s Christina Lopez.
