Overview

• Gov. Phil Murphy signed A-4085/S-3007 last week, authorizing natural organic reduction as a legal end-of-life option in New Jersey.
• Funeral homes and end-of-life facilities can begin offering the service within the next 10 months under regulated, supervised protocols.
• The process places a body in a sealed vessel with organic materials and warm air, producing nutrient-rich soil in roughly 45–60 days.
• New Jersey becomes about the 14th state to allow the practice, following Washington in 2019 and New York in 2022.
• Reaction is mixed, with supporters citing sustainability and space constraints and the Archdiocese of Newark formally opposing the practice.