Several New South Wales MPs say they want their own bodies turned into “human compost” after Australian-first laws were passed allowing the unusual practice.

The laws, passed on Wednesday, provide a third legal option other than burial and cremation for the treatment of bodies.

The private member’s bill was introduced by independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich, who travelled to Germany and the US to research the practice, which is allowed in some parts of both countries.

The practice, known as natural organic reduction, terramation or human composting, involves placing the body in a temperature-controlled vessel with organic matter such as alfalfa, straw or mulch.

Once inside, the vessel is turned or rocked to circulate air. The introduced matter reacts with the air and feeds the body’s naturally occurring microbes to rapidly decompose the body.

The process creates heat that, after about 30 days, transforms the body into soil.…