Slow decay process – in Western Switzerland, cemeteries are struggling with a peculiar phenomenon due to heavily compacted soils buried corpses no longer decay. Particularly in Geneva, the authorities have a Problem with the slower decomposition.Urs Nagel2 Kommentare2Sauerstoffmangel and compressed soil as the cause of the problem: A burial at Geneva cemetery. (Archive)photo: Keystone/Salvatore Di Nolfi
The head of the funeral – and Friedhofamts of the city of Geneva, Anne Humbert-Droz, confirmed on Tuesday, the corresponding article of the “24 Heures” and “Tribune de Genève”. The two daily Newspapers had spoken with Vincent Varlet, the West Swiss University centre of legal medicine in Lausanne works.
in the opinion of the experts is due to the poor decomposition of the bodies, especially on the nature of the soil, which is sometimes strongly compressed and poorly ventilated. “Since there is less oxygen, from the soil with time and choking. As a result, the decomposition processes are Stalled,” said Varlet.
The lack of oxygen and the compressed soil can also pose a Problem for the decomposition of microorganisms involved, beetles, and worms.
In Geneva, the Problem of the floors, was already in the 19th century. Century recognized. In 1880, as the site of the cemetery of Saint-was Georges set, brought the authorities to this issue. Due to a compact clay layer of great thickness, they concluded that the decomposition would not or only very delayed to take place.
Currently, studies on this topic are performed on the Geneva cemeteries, Saint-Georges, Châtelaine and Petit-Saconnex.
(SDA)
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