Update on Compost Policy in New Mexico

2025 Legislative Session Update

In the 2025 legislative session, Senator Liz Stefanics introduced SB 368 TRADITIONAL & NONTRADITIONAL CREMATION, co-sponsored by Representative Marian Matthews. Anyone with a connection to the land and a desire for more environmentally friendly funeral options for themselves and their family will benefit from this legislation.

This bill provides for natural funeral options in New Mexico by expanding the definition of cremation to include natural organic reduction, also known as “human composting”. Natural organic reduction (NOR) is a process that turns a deceased body into nutrient-rich soil. Derived from the agricultural practice of livestock composting, NOR presents an environmentally friendly alternative to embalming and traditional cremation. The biological process mimics the earth’s natural cycles in a controlled environment and is similar to what occurs on the forest floor as organic material decomposes and becomes topsoil. Human composting is powered by beneficial microbes that occur naturally on our bodies and in the environment. 

Washington was the first state to legalize human composting in 2019. Momentum is quickly growing with new states passing and introducing legislation every year, including our neighboring states Arizona and Colorado. In all states that have passed legislation, human composting has received bipartisan support. → States Where Human Composting is Legal

SB 368 received a DO PASS in its first hearing in the Tax, Business and Transportation Committee and was referred to the Judiciary Committee, which unfortunately ran out of time to hear the bill. Senator Stefanics and Representative Matthews are planning to introduce a memorial regarding natural organic reduction in the next legislative session. NM Healthy Soil Working Group is looking forward to supporting any future legislation bringing earth friendly funeral options to New Mexico.

2024 Legislative Session Update

You may remember that NM Healthy Soil Working Group worked on a composting bill during the 2024 legislative session. While SB 79 THE COMPOST BILL received bi-partisan sponsors and support, it was ultimately tabled. → Read more about The Compost Bill

Never-the-less, we’re happy to report that one of the primary objectives of the bill is currently being realized: the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) commissioned a study focusing on the state of composting in New Mexico and what we can do to make meaningful progress. NMDA funded the study following language in the Healthy Soil Act: “in administering the healthy soil program the New Mexico Department of Agriculture shall identify ways to increase the generation and use of compost to build healthy soils.” We appreciate NMDA’s responsiveness and teamwork in taking on this important initiative.

SCS Engineers was selected to be the lead author of the statewide composting study. They are a formidable national engineering firm that has done several state of the art composting reports including here in New Mexico for Los Alamos County. SCS Engineers is collaborating with Reunity Resources in Santa Fe and Sunny505 in Albuquerque as their local partners. The study – including policy recommendations – should be completed later this Spring in 2025.

Based on the findings and recommendations of the study, we may pursue subsequent legislation, public-private partnership initiatives and/or collective action in our civil society to make progress with regards to composting in our state. 

Stay tuned!