Our most frequently asked questions are answered below, answers have been given by a range of people from our team. If you still have a question that is not covered here, please do contact us directly; info@precisionorganic.com
What is Organic Dispersal?
The term Organic Dispersal (OD) describes the process of turning a body into soil through decomposition.
At Precision Organic we achieve this by using a chamber, called a POD, where we can precisely control the environment inside. This enables us to provide the optimal conditions for decomposition.
This is the same process from nature, but in a controlled environment and therefore significantly quicker.
Is Organic Dispersal legal?
In the US, human organic dispersal and other alternatives are authorized by individual States. There are several that have made them legal. Currently (Dec 2023) Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, New York and California (to begin in 2027).
In the UK we have been involved in many discussions with the Ministry of Justice (who deal with this issue), and have been told that our POD system is not illegal, nor is it legal. It therefore falls to the Local Authority level to decide if they wish to use the system or not.
This is rather like gun ranges – they are not legal or illegal, they are managed at Local Authority Level. We have several Local Authorities in discussion and expect to have UK availability in 2024.
What does NOR (Natural Organic Reduction) mean?
- NOR stands for Natural Organic Reduction and is a terminology developed by human composting companies in the US.
- Our system is fundamentally different from NOR and is known as Organic Dispersal.
- “Human composting”/NOR starts with purely organic material which then breaks down to become compost. This process is effective at decomposing soft tissue but is not particularly effective at breaking down hard tissue, such as bones and teeth.
- Organic dispersal uses a scientifically formulated soil blend, known as RTN, that contains a large number of microbial colonies. These microbes break down the body more effectively as they can break down the hard tissues.
- With NOR the material left at the end of the process is fundamentally different from what was put in at the start, and therefore it cannot be re-used and must be disposed of.
- The material left at the end of OD is, to all intents and purposes, identical to what went in at the start, which means that it can be re-used, vastly improving its environmental impact.
What is the difference between compost and soil? – For a more detailed answer try this blog post.
- Compost and soil are quite different, although the words are often used interchangeably.
- Although soil contains compost it must also contain inorganic material, such as clay or sand
- Compost is made up of organic material only.
- Because compost starts with raw organic material the size and variety of microbial colonies takes much longer to develop, especially when contained in a sealed environment.
- Soil, as well as occurring naturally, can also be formulated. By taking various components that occur naturally in soil, and blending them in specific quantities, it is possible to produce soil with specific characteristics.
- By working with world-class scientists, we have created several different formulations of blended soil for different purposes. These blended soils have been extensively tested so we are confident that they will be reliable and effective, whether for neutralising cremated remains or for use in our PODs
- References:
What does the family get back after the process?
- As the RTN from the POD chamber is re-used the family would not get a full chambers’ worth. Re-using the blended soil is key to making the system environmentally positive as well as creating a circular system.
- This would be up to the operator, but we would anticipate that a family could get up to four 2kg bags of blended soil product that they could then use to create living memorials to their loved one.
- The family could, of course, choose not to have anything returned and to donate to a tree planting charity or to re-use all the blended soil in future POD cycles.
What is RTN?
This stands for Return To Nature, the UK name for the specialist soil blend we use inside the PODS. RTN comes in categories 1,2 and 3, depending on how it is being used e.g. for burial, cremated remains or POD. It is the result of many years of rigorous scientific study (see our Timeline). In the US the blended soil is known as Let Your Love Grow.
For more information you can go to their website UK www.rtnsoil.com US www.letyourlovegrow.com
What does one-stage and two-stage refer to?
- A one-stage process means that once the body is placed in the chamber, and it is filled with soil product or organic matter, it is not opened until the process is complete and all the body has been decomposed.
- With a two-stage process the body is disinterred part way through the process, the remains are processed to break up the hard tissues, and then the remains are returned to the chamber.
- We fundamentally object to the two-stage process as we believe that it is disrespectful to the body and unnecessary if you have a system that can effectively decompose hard tissues.
- We believe that the focus should be on how to create a system that optimises decomposition rather than interfering with the deceased.
How do you calculate your carbon footprint/shadow?
- Carbon footprint is a notoriously difficult metric to calculate accurately for a complex system like the PODs. We will always see our carbon footprint as being too high and will be looking for ways to reduce it where possible.
- We do not have a current carbon footprint calculation as our supply chains and production methods are still in development. We aim to have a carbon footprint calculation ready for verification in 2024.
- What we can say is more generally about how the PODs are made:
- The decision was made early on to use plastic polymer for the POD construction as ferrous metals are corroded too easily by the blendeed soil product. We decided that using a plastic that could be recycled but have a working life of +20 years was better than using a material with less direct hydrocarbon usage but that had a shorter working life.
- The PODs are made of HDPE, which not only can be sourced from recycled material and can be recycled at the end of its working life, but it can also be easily repaired.
- For now, we must get the PODs made locally to our production facility so that we can install the sensors and commission the units before they go into service. The aim is to have local production facilities in the territories where we are operating to reduce the carbon footprint or transporting empty chambers.
We also fund projects via Ecologi to offset the carbon footprint of our data storage needs.
Is Organic Dispersal ethical?
- Operating in an ethical manner is fundamental to our business and our POD system and has informed our activities from the company’s inception.
- For us being ethical means that the process is as natural as possible and for the body to not be disturbed whilst in our POD chamber.
- Other ethical considerations are moral harm to operators – which is another reason we have a one-stage process e.g we care for those who look after the dead by making sure they are able to work in a safe and professional manner.
- As a business we are committed to operating in an ethical way:
- We pay a living wage to all staff and have Living Wage Foundation accreditation
- We use the Sustainable Development Goals to inform our planning and goals
Is Organic Dispersal respectful to the deceased?
One of the first decisions made during the development process of the POD chamber was that it had to be respectful to the deceased, even if this meant that the process took slightly longer.
For the PODs to provide a positive experience for the bereaved, respect for the body was paramount.
To do this we needed to make a system where the POD chamber was only opened once the body had fully decomposed. We achieve this by using a suite of advanced sensors in our POD chamber with a sophisticated control system, and by having many years’ research into the process by our world-class scientific advisory board.
We met with Prof. Douglas Davies from the Ethics Department at University of Durham to discuss various ways to ensure our process was ethical.
How long does Organic Dispersal take?
Our aim is to have a process of 12 weeks or less. With every data collection we are able to maximise the technical efficiencies and shave time off the complete process.
Our research shows that many families do not collect remains from their Funeral Director immediately, and 3 months seems an average. It’s likely that for many, this is therefore a natural time for being able to manage that next part of the grief process of dealing with remains.
There is also a significant number of remains that are never claimed or collected, and this is easily managed in the POD system.
What paperwork will be required?
We are working with the relevant legal and sector authorities to make sure this is as straightforward as possible for both operators and families. We envisage a procedure very similar to current cremation.
How big are the PODS?
Our demonstration POD is 1.2m x 2.75m and we are working to reduce this further. We also have smaller PODS available for babies/children.
There is a Pet POD too.
How the operator choses to use the POD may have an impact on the space required, but no special buildings are needed. The system uses very little power and can be housed in any safe space. As a modular system it can be added to at any time.
How long is the waiting list to become an Operator?
Our order book is open, with a projected install date in early 2025. The offer will be unique and only available in selected locations initially. We will then have a stock of PODs, so new orders can be fulfilled quickly, depending on numbers ordered.
How much does a POD cost?
There will be an initial Capital expenditure for the POD itself, and the system set up. This will be determined by the number of PODS ordered. There will also be an annual License Fee. We expect PODs to last for 20+ years.
As with all new technology the costs are likely to reduce over time.
