Green-Wood Cemetery, the venerable and historic cemetery in New York City announced last week a plan to become the first facility on America’s East Coast that will offer Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) or Terramation within its facililty.  Legalized in the state of New York in 2023, Green-Wood says, according to this recent article from the New York Post it will be ready for these types of dispositions beginning in 2027.

According to the same article “(Green-Wood) is working with German company Meine Erde to offer “greener end-of-life options.”  Again, according to the New York Post article,  “Meine Erde offers the full service for roughly $5,000 overseas, and similar companies in the US go for as high as $7,000 — which is significantly cheaper than the cost of a standard $21,000 gravesite at Green-Wood Cemetery.”      Here is the website for Germany’s Meine Erde.

Green-Wood Cemetery says it has 240 inquiries about NOR since its recent announcement.  Amy Cunningham, owner of Fitting Tribute Funerals in New York City seems to concur with that interest when she tells me “Since Green-Wood made that announcement inquiries (about NOR) have picked up for our business”.

Working within the laws:  To my knowledge, Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) is legal on the East Coast in the states of Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware.  New Hampshire has had the bill for its legalization introduced into its legislature in January 2026 and there is bipartisan support so it is concievable that it will soon be legalized in New Hampshire as well.

Each state sets its own regulations and in New York state there is a couple of interesting laws that will regulate the business as it opens and grows there.  For instance, the New York law, at least to my understanding, allows only cemeteries or cemetery corporations to operate NOR facilities.  And, according to the New York Post article, “The human made soil cannot leave the grounds, per New York State rules“.  That is in contrast to many states that allow the “human soil” to be removed to other places such as family yards.

Related — Here is the website of Green-Wood Cemetery.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  I’m always researching for articles for Funeral Director Daily.  When I do that I encounter an enormous amount of “local” articles about Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) in newspapers of all community sizes.  I would argue that there are more articles written on the potential of NOR, with the possible exception of generic “Green Burial” articles, than any other topic of consumer death care.

What that tells me is that there is great interest on the subject.  I’ve also seen a movement with NOR, Green Burial, and alkaline hydrolysis, that while not universally “adopted” for use at this time, those methods of disposition have seen to become “accepted” as methods of human disposition by the masses.

Much like flame cremation that was first accepted by the public and then adopted to greater use over time, I expect each of those disposition methods to move in that same adoptation path among consumers.  And, if they are to grow in use then some type of disposition will decline  —  the big question is will that continue to be traditional burials or will these disposition methods also cut into the percentage of flame cremations?

More news from the world of Death Care:

• Krause Agency:  Acquires preneed insurance division, expanding support for funeral professionals.  WisBusiness (WI)
• Return to earth:  Human composting takes root in Brooklyn.  BK Reader (NT)
• Local funeral home hits 20-year milestone.  The Outer Banks Voice (NC)

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