TRENTON — New Jersey on Thursday added a new afterlife alternative for dead bodies, approving their controlled breakdown and composting to become a soil-like product for gardens or other natural areas.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill authorizing "natural organic reduction" of human bodies.

"This is really exciting news," said Katrina Spade, founder and CEO of Recompose, a Seattle funeral home that has transformed over 500 human bodies into soil. "I'm pleased to see that New Jersey has become the 14th state to make sure we have the choices we want around the end of life."

She said her firm plans to expand to the East Coast as soon as possible.

The human composting process involves placing a dead body in a sealed chamber with wood chips, alfalfa and straw.

The temperature inside the vess

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