Water Cremations

Water Cremations

With the ever stretched resources of the planet and the need for a more eco-friendly means of disposal of a body, a water cremation has a much smaller energy impact and is cleaner for the enviroment. So it this for you ? read on to explore the process of water cremations.

Water cremations, resomation, Aquamation and flameless cremation are just some of the buzzwords used. AH, the scientific name for this process is alkaline hydrolysis, but it is not really a scientific process. Alkaline hydrolysis is a water-based chemical dissolution process that uses strong alkalis to rapidly break down the body into bone fragments. Instead of flames, it uses an alkaline solution of potassium hydroxide (KOH), which is found in household products and dissolves the body when heated, leaving bone fragments and a sterile liquid only.

Alkaline hydrolysis is a natural process that the body undergoes during burial, which can take up to 25 years, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Essentially, Water Cremation accelerates this natural process to 2-3 hours in a very calm, controlled environment. Advocates say that this method is a gentler process than incineration and is much better for the environment than cremation. It’s also an alternative for people who don’t want to be buried but can’t get used to cremation.

One way to imagine it is that water cremation speeds up the body’s ordinary, natural decay using a gentle combination of warm water and an alkaline solution. The soft tissue and organs break down into a sterile liquid that is safely treated as wastewater. What remains afterwards is the bone, which is then reduced to a fine ashes-like powder and placed in an urn.

What happens With Water Cremations

With water cremation, the body is placed in a stainless steel container and then placed in the chamber for processing. After around 3 hrs, the organic material of the deceased has been liquified and when flushed, the remains are all the bone remnants. These are then placed, similar to cremation, in a reduction machine to get a more conforming particle size.

There are several reasons why people prefer alkaline hydrolysis to flame – cremation. It consumes significantly less fuel, has lower energy consumption than traditional funeral or burial methods and has the advantage of disposal over conventional burials or burials compared to incineration.

Water cremation, also known as alkaline hydrolysis, is a gentle alternative to flame cremation in which no flames are produced at all. It follows the same overall procedure as a standard cremation, where the deceased is transported to a facility, cared for and stored properly, and the remains are returned at the end. The body is processed, and then the remains are handed back to the appointed agent, whether that is an undertaker for a person, or straight to the family if it is a pet.

Water Cremation Near Me ?

The procedure has been recognized for over a century (1888), but only recently has it become a widely known option. Resomation, aquamation and water-cremation are some of the brand names associated with the process, as well as the terms used to describe alkaline hydrolysis.

A quick look online should find a local provider near you which can offer the service. Many pet crematoriums are now offering the serice, with facilities for human treatment slowly popping up every month.

As mentioned above, water cremation is one of the most efficient ways of returning the body of a pet, or a person, gently back to nature. In the ground, a body can take many years to decompose naturally. Water cremation simply accelerates that same natural process, using a gentle alkaline solution to break the body down to bone in a matter of hours rather than years.

The process of decomposition is simply accelerated by using a very simple pH solution to reduce the body into bones.

Reflection On Water Cremations.

Its easy to see, that slowly but surely, water cremations will take a foot hold in the market. One of the prime reasons for this is the machinery and requirements needed to operate a water cremation facility is much less, so slowly the market will expand and in doing so, it has an ability to become a cheaper option than flame cremation. Once this price match / price reduction, is acheived, then it will become an everyday option on what either the client or the deceased loved one wants to be done with their body. The high footprint and non-eco value of the old stagnated cremation industry or the advanced low foot print of water cremation.

Either way, here at Cremation Ink ® we can work with both aquamation remains as well as normal cremation remains. Explore the site, for not only memorial tattoo ideas, but also more about cremation as a whole, memorial tattoos and look below for more on Aquamation.

What is water cremation?

Water cremation is a gentle, eco friendly alternative to flame cremation that uses water and an alkaline solution instead of fire to return the body to nature. It is also known as aquamation, resomation, flameless cremation or, by its scientific name, alkaline hydrolysis. The end result is the same as flame cremation, the bone remains of your loved one reduced to a soft powder.

Is there any difference between water cremation and flame cremation remains?

No. People ask us this often, and the answer is that there is no difference in the end result. Both flame cremation and water cremation reduce your loved one to a powder, which we can infuse into our high quality tattoo ink in exactly the same way.

How does water cremation work?

The body is placed in a stainless steel container inside a special chamber, where it is gently broken down using water, heat and an alkaline solution of potassium hydroxide. After the process, the soft tissue has dissolved into a sterile liquid, leaving only the bone. This is then processed into a fine, even powder, just as with flame cremation.

How long does water cremation take?

It usually takes around two to three hours in a calm, controlled environment. This is a hugely sped-up version of natural decomposition, which can otherwise take many years in the ground.

Is water cremation better for the environment?

Yes. It uses far less energy than flame cremation, burns no fossil fuels and leaves a much smaller environmental footprint. For families wanting a gentler, greener goodbye, this is one of its biggest appeals.

Why do people choose water cremation?

People choose it for the lower environmental impact, the gentler nature of the process, and because it offers an option for those who do not wish to be buried but feel uneasy about flame cremation. It also uses less fuel and energy than traditional methods.

Is water cremation available for pets and people?

Yes, both. Many pet crematoriums already offer the service, and facilities for human water cremation are steadily opening up. The process works the same way for animals and humans alike.

How long has water cremation been around?

The process has been recognised for over a century, dating back to 1888, though it has only recently become a more widely known option. The names resomation, aquamation and water cremation are all used to describe it.

Will water cremation become cheaper than flame cremation?

It may well do. The machinery and running requirements for a water cremation facility are lower, so as the service spreads it has the potential to become a more affordable option than flame cremation over time.

Can Cremation Ink use water cremation remains?

Yes. We work with water cremation and aquamation remains as well as standard cremation remains, sent to us from all over the world. They are processed in exactly the same way, so you receive a high quality tattoo ink infused with your loved one, ready for your local studio.