Aquamation is another alternative to laying the dead to rest after death draws the curtain. People are very familiar with burials and cremation; however, aquamation is one method of disposition people are yet to become familiar with and hopefully will embrace with time.
Yes, you can choose to be buried, cremated, or even aquamated.
What Does It Mean To Be Buried?
Being buried means dead bodies being disposed of in the grave or tomb. The corpses get wrapped in clothes or laid in coffins (casket).
How About Cremation?
Cremation is a bit better than burial. This is because cremation is environmentally friendlier.
Cremation is the act of getting rid of dead bodies by burning. This is cool; however, it requires a lot of energy.
So What’s Aquamation?
Aquamation, also known as bio cremation, water cremation, or flameless cremation, is the way by which the remains of humans and other animals are disposed of through the use of alkaline hydrolysis.
The remains are broken down into skeletons by heated alkaline solutions. It is more eco-friendly than cremation and leaves 32% of organic materials than cremation.
“90 percent less energy than flame cremation and does not emit any harmful greenhouse gases.” Says Bio-Response Solutions, an aquamation company in the United States.
How Is Aquamation Done?
Firstly, the body is enclosed in a vessel with much pressure. This vessel is filled to its brim with an alkaline solution– potassium hydroxide and water.
Secondly, this solution is heated to a high degree. Around 90- 150°C, which equates to 200-300°F.
Furthermore, as the pressure of the vessel increases, the body disintegrates instead of boiling. In the end, the bones are left.
Does it end there? Of course not; the bones are further dried and converted to dust. The relatives of the deceased are always in possession of this dust.
What Happens To The Alkaline solution After Aquamation?
The solution left can be used as fertilizers. The solution contains critical organic compounds like salt and amino acids.
Also, the solution can be channeled to sewage pathways after neutralization.
Instances Of Aquamation.
“The Archbishop was very clear on his wishes for his funeral. “He wanted no ostentatiousness or lavish spending. He asked that the coffin be the cheapest available and that a bouquet of carnations from his family is the only flowers in the cathedral” following News24.
This was an announcement made by the Tutu Ip Trust and the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation after the death of Desmond Mpilo Tutu on December 26, 2021.
For the records, Desmond Mpilo Tutu was an Anglican Cleric from South Africa. A Nobel Prize winner for Peace in the opposition to apartheid in South Africa in 1984.
Aquamation will soon be embraced globally as it is less hazardous, expensive, and advantageous than burial and cremation.
Bottom Line
The choice is always yours to choose what happens to your remains after you are gone. You can be buried, cremated, or aquamated.
That notwithstanding, aquamation would soon take the lead as it is more advantageous than the rest.
