Natural Organic Renewal™ transforms the body into soil.
Natural Organic Renewal™ is Wend & Root’s science-based, environmentally responsible alternative to cremation and conventional burial.
Using natural biological processes in a carefully managed, oxygen-rich environment, the process creates nutrient-rich soil instead of ash.
Wend & Root is developing clear, accountable systems so families, funeral professionals, communities, and partners understand how the process works and why it matters.
What is Natural Organic Renewal?
Natural Organic Renewal™ is Wend & Root’s approach to natural organic reduction, commonly known as human composting.
The process uses well-established composting science in a carefully managed, oxygen-rich environment to support natural microbial activity. Over time, the body is transformed into nutrient-rich soil.
Unlike cremation or conventional burial, this approach does not rely on fossil fuel combustion, long-term land use, embalming chemicals, or resource-intensive burial materials.
Wend & Root is a Maine-based company developing next-generation, closed-loop Natural Organic Renewal infrastructure. We are currently in research and development and do not yet offer funeral services.
Natural Organic Renewal is grounded in natural organic reduction, a controlled biological process similar to what occurs in healthy soils and forest ecosystems. In the presence of oxygen, naturally occurring microbes break down organic material, generate heat, and transform complex matter into stable soil.
In a human composting system, these conditions are carefully managed for consistency, safety, and environmental protection. Temperature, oxygen, and moisture are monitored so the process can occur efficiently while neutralizing pathogens and reducing the risk of harmful emissions.
This scientific foundation is what distinguishes Natural Organic Renewal from unmanaged decomposition and allows the process to meet regulatory and public health standards.
The Science Behind Natural Organic Renewal
Where Natural Organic Renewal is Legal
Natural organic reduction is legal in a growing number of U.S. states. Maine legalized the practice in 2024, becoming one of the early states to formally authorize this method of disposition under state law.
Each state sets its own requirements for system design, temperature standards, handling of remains, facility licensing, and the permitted use or return of the resulting soil.
As more states consider legislation, Wend & Root is focused on building Natural Organic Renewal infrastructure that can meet high standards for safety, transparency, environmental responsibility, and public trust.
How Natural Organic Renewal Compares to Burial and Cremation
Conventional deathcare methods carry environmental and infrastructural impacts that many families are now reconsidering. Natural Organic Renewal offers a fundamentally different approach: returning the body to soil without combustion, embalming chemicals, or permanent burial materials.
Requires permanent land use
Often involves embalming chemicals
Commonly uses concrete vaults or grave liners along with hardwood or metal caskets
Relies on single-use materials that are buried or sealed in place, contributing to long-term material waste
Traditional Burial
Relies on fossil fuels
Produces carbon dioxide and other air pollutants
May release mercury when dental amalgam fillings are present
Results in ash rather than soil
Cremation
Minimal permanent land use
No embalming chemicals
No fossil fuel combustion
Creates nutrient-rich soil instead of ash
Supports meaningful return-to-earth options for families
Natural Organic Renewal
Building Natural Organic Renewal Infrastructure in Maine and beyond
Wend & Root is developing Natural Organic Renewal infrastructure in Maine with a focus on safety, environmental accountability, and integration with existing funeral home care.
As natural organic reduction becomes established under Maine law, our goal is to build systems that are practical for funeral professionals, transparent for families, and designed for broader adoption across New England and beyond.
We are currently in research and development and do not yet offer funeral services.
Connect With Us
We’re actively building relationships with funeral homes, researchers, investors, and partners, starting in Maine, with a focus on New England and expansion beyond.
If you’re interested in offering Natural Organic Renewal, learning how this model could fit into your work, or following our progress, I’d welcome the conversation.