Luke Perry was secretly buried in a “mushroom suit” so that his body could decompose in an environmentally-friendly way and nourish the soil, Radar Online is reporting.
That the Beverly Hills, 90210 actor wanted his remains put to rest in an environmentally-friendly way has been known since he died in early March. At the time, his family and friends said that he was cremated in keeping with his wishes to be laid to rest in an environmentally-friendly way.
However, a source tells the celebrity magazine that he wasn’t actually cremated. Rather, he was buried in a “mushroom suit.”
“The mushroom suit will turn Luke into clean compost. This was one of Luke’s last wishes. He was always very ecologically-minded.”
You may not have heard of a “mushroom suit” for burial before, but they’ve been a thing for a few years now. One company that offers the option, Coeio , offers a “burial suit” that, once the deceased is buried in it (directly in the ground, not in a coffin), it helps the body decompose, providing vital nutrients to the soil.
“The Infinity Burial Suit has a built in biomix, made up of of mushrooms and other microorganisms that together do three things; aid in decomposition, work to neutralize toxins found in the body and transfer nutrients to plant life.”
#CoolTech #Coeio These ‘mushroom death suits’ help your body decompose naturally after burial: Startup Coeio is… https://t.co/DH2IGnycoq
— Electropage (@ElectropageIt) February 16, 2016
Being buried in such a way, as opposed to the more traditional Western burial methods (such as in a coffin or interment in a mausoleum), offers a host of benefits, not the least of which is the cost: The Infinity Burial Suit costs $1,500. By comparison, the average funeral in the United States costs between $7,000 and $10,000, according to Parting.com .
And of course, there are the environmental factors as well. The funeral industry uses chemicals that are likely harmful to the environment, and modern, Western burial practices slow the process of decomposition, according to Science Alert .
Do be aware that each jurisdiction has its own laws regarding where and how human remains can be disposed of, so check with your local laws before deciding to be buried in a mushroom suit or a similar, eco-friendly burial method.
As for Perry, according to his death certificate, his remains were buried on his farm in Tennessee.
His burial wasn’t the only responsible way in which Perry made sure his remains were treated — he was also an organ donor. A source says that Perry’s family was able to donate his lungs, kidney, and liver, but a match could not be found for his heart.
