Ask a Deathworker: Can you tell me more about water cremation?

I love getting to provide death education and so I was delighted when a newsletter reader told me last month that they had never heard of water cremation. Let’s get into it!

Water cremation — also known as alkaline hydrolysis, aquamation, or flameless cremation — may be new to you but it has actually been used by farmers since the 1880’s as a final disposition method for livestock. Fun fact: the process used in human composting was also pioneered by farmers taking care of their animals! In regular cremation, a body is heated to high temperatures and then processed into ash. Water cremation does not use flames but instead uses water and an alkaline solution (hence the name alkaline hydrolysis) to break down a body.

Water cremation is an increasingly popular option for several reasons. It is an efficient process that generally takes only 6-8 hours. Water cremation produces 20-30% more remains than cremation, which can be helpful if multiple people would like ashes. Many people also consider the use of water in alkaline hydrolysis to be a “gentler” process - something about not incinerating a body is easier on the psyche.

However, the number one draw I hear about water cremation is its environmental impact. Though regular cremation is more eco-friendly than a traditional burial, cremation by fire is still a major polluting force. According to the Natural Death Centre, “One cremation uses as much energy in the form of gas and electricity as a 500-mile car trip, and releases a staggering 400 kilos (almost 900 pounds) of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, not to mention mercury vapor and other pollutants.” Alkaline hydrolysis, on the other hand, uses one-tenth of the energy that cremations use and does not create emissions. The water heats (but never boils) from constant rotation, thereby avoiding the use of fossil fuels.

Water cremation is only legal in 28 states and even if it is an option, there is not always a facility able to conduct the process. It also tends to be more expensive than traditional cremation though advances in technology and customer interest is changing this. But if you enjoy long, warm baths and care about minimizing your carbon footprint, alkaline hydrolysis may be just right for you.