What is the new way of cremation?

Alkaline hydrolysis (also called biocremation, resomation, flameless cremation, aquamation or water cremation) is a process for the disposal of human and pet remains using lye and heat, and is an alternative to burial or cremation.

What happens in aquamation?

The aquamation process uses heated alkaline water under pressure to decompose a body into a skeletal form in under 12 hours. In a grave where the soil is generally alkaline this same process can take up to 20 years.

What is the newest form of cremation?

Resomation, known as natural water cremation, is the sustainable end of life choice that through a natural process gently returns the body to ashes. A natural choice for anyone that has lived an environmentally conscious life.

What is left after aquamation?

So, all that remains at the end of an aquamation is water, bones and dust. What Can be Done with the Remains - Aquamation ashes are very similar to remains left after a standard cremation, so they can be treated like standard cremation ashes.

Is aquamation better than cremation?

It's better for the environment. There are several environmental benefits to aquamation. No fossil fuels are burned during the process, so there are no direct emissions. It also uses 90% less energy than traditional cremation, and unlike flame-based cremation, no mercury is released.

Aquamation (Water Cremation): The Eco-Friendly Burial Chosen by Desmond Tutu

What is the end result of aquamation?

Aquamation is actually an accelerated version of natural decomposition. At the end of the process, the body has been dissolved in water and the remaining dust/ash can be returned to the earth.

How long does aquamation last?

Aquamation Takes Longer than Cremation

The aquamation process may last six to eight hours or as long as 18 to 20 hours, depending upon the amount of heat that is used in the process.

Where does the liquid go after aquamation?

What happens to the water in the Aquamation process? The water is returned to the ecosystem via the normal wastewater treatment facility, just as all funeral homes in the United States, Canada, and many other parts of the world do during the embalming process.

How is aquamation carried out?

Aquamation employs a process called alkaline hydrolysis, in which a body is placed in a stainless-steel vat containing a 200°F (93°C) potassium-hydroxide-and-water solution for four hours until all that remains is the skeleton.

Where does the water go in water cremation?

Though the process might seem grotesque, it's similar to the natural processes that occur in the body after death, the Mayo Clinic says. Water cremation converts the body's tissues and cells into a watery solution of molecules — in other words, it dissolves the body — leaving behind just the bones.

What are the three types of cremation?

There are three main types of cremation: traditional, memorial, and direct. The main differences are in price, planning, and timeline. Read on to learn more about each type, so you can choose which one is best for you and your family.

What is removed from a body before cremation?

The only parts of the body that are removed before cremation are artificial ones like a medical device or implant with a battery, silicone, pins, radiation pressurization, pacemakers, and large hip, knee, and shoulder replacements along with any external jewelry.

Why can't Catholics be cremated?

Cremation does not “prevent God, in his omnipotence, from raising up the deceased body to new life,” the Vatican says, but it does raise the possibility that the deceased's body, which the church believes is sacred, will not be properly respected by ancestors and relatives.

Do human ashes dissolve in water?

What happens to ashes scattered at sea? Human ashes are like sand and they do not float. They will not dissolve in the water; instead, they will descend into the ocean until they hit the floor.

What states is human aquamation legal?

Aquamation is legal in the state of California. It is legal for pets in all 50 states and Canada. Under California Governor Jerry Brown, bill AB 967 was passed, legalizing aquamation for both pets and people. It allows the use of water-based cremation, also known as alkaline hydrolysis, in California.

How do you aquamation a body?

With aquamation, or “alkaline hydrolysis”, the body of the deceased is immersed for three to four hours in a mixture of water and a strong alkali, such as potassium hydroxide, in a pressurised metal cylinder and heated to around 150C.

Which part of the body does not burn during cremation?

What's really returned to you is the person's skeleton. Once you burn off all the water, soft tissue, organs, skin, hair, cremation container/casket, etc., what you're left with is bone. When complete, the bones are allowed to cool to a temperature that they can be handled and are placed into a processing machine.

How much does Aquamated cost?

The Alkaline Hydrolysis process is more expensive than fire cremation but cheaper than burial. The average cost for Alkaline Hydrolysis is around $3,500, while the average cost for traditional burial is around $9,000, and the average cost for cremation is around $1,500.

How much does an aquamation machine cost?

Aquamation machines go for around $175,000 to upwards of $260,000, according to Samantha Sieber, vice president of research at Bio-Response Solutions, one of the leading U.S. companies that manufactures aquamation equipment.

Can you keep the bones after aquamation?

Some machines keep the body horizontal; others tip it into the lye. But with any of these approaches what comes out should be a brown soup of simple organic molecules that can be poured into a sewer system. The bones, however, do not dissolve. They can be pulverized and given to the family of the deceased.

Why is water cremation better?

Because a flame is not used, alkaline hydrolysis uses around 90% less natural gas; it saves more than 66% electricity; it reduces more than 90% of carbon dioxide emissions that can be released during a flame cremation; it has 1/10th the carbon footprint of traditional cremation; and it is 100% mercury-free.

Is cremation a sin according to the Bible?

A: In the Bible, cremation is not labeled a sinful practice. Frankly, the topic is not dealt with at all in terms of the detailed lists of instructions for living and dying set forth by almighty God in the Old and New testaments. The short answer to your question appears to be no, cremation is not a sin.

How long can crematoriums hold a body?

If the cremation does not occur within 24 hours of the body arriving at the crematory, California law requires the body to be refrigerated within 2 hours after a licensed crematory takes custody of the body.

How long does water cremation take?

Water Cremation takes around 4 hours to complete. Water Cremation is a gentle, simple process of decomposition that resembles what would typically happen with burial underground — except faster. A body placed underground in a casket can take over 12 years to decompose into a skeleton.

How long does it take to be Aquamated?

6.Aquamation Takes Longer than Cremation

The process of aquamation may last up to six to eight hours and extend to as long as 18 to 20 hours, depending on the amount of heat required. At the same time, Cremation takes place in five to six hours.