It appears that the new form of Disposition by Alkaline Hydrolysis is moving forward across the pond.
Known in Europe as Resomation, Belgium Funeral Directors may have the Process Made available to them in three months. In The US the process is named as green cremation, water resolution, bio cremation and several other names.
The process has been approved in six states in the US: Maryland, Minnesota, Maine, Colorado, Oregon, Florida. approval is expected soon in California.
This snippet from the article starts out by quoting Resomation Ltd, Sandy Stevens.
‘I am getting a lot of requests from families and we hope it will become legal in Scotland within the year.
‘Burial space is running out and I have had lots of people contact me whose loved ones have chosen resomation.
‘It’s a highly sensitive subject but I think the public are ready for it.’
The name ‘Resomation’ comes from the Greek word ‘Resoma’ meaning rebirth of the human body.
Members of the EU Commission must rule on the Belgian proposal as there are concerns that residual waste could be flushed into the drainage system.
Belgian undertakers hope to have the greenlight within three months.
In resomation the body is placed in a silk bag, itself placed within a metal cage frame. This is then loaded into a Resomator.
The machine is filled with a mixture of water and potassium hydroxide.
The end result is a small quantity of green-brown tinted liquid containing amino acids, peptides, sugars and salts and soft, porous white bone remains which are easily crushed.
The white ash can then be returned to the next of kin of the deceased.
The liquid can be recycled back to the ecosystem by being applied to a memorial garden or forest or simply put into the sewerage system.
In the United States the Resomation Ltd distributorship is held by Matthews International
Sandy Stevens is the founder of Resomation LTD, one of 4 compamies in the world making alkaline hydrolysis machnes for the Funeral Industry.
Negative comments on the process are full of the the Phase “Soylent Green”. Certainly in bringing the alkaline hydrolysis machine to market there are aesthetic issues to be over come.
Funeral Industry|Funeral News|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy
From my personal experience viewing an alkaline hydrolysis machine in action and experience as a funeral director there is no smell of death, or soylent green product.
Very interesting. Thank you for this. As you say, it’s the aesthetic qualities which have to pass the teat of public opinion. Look how long it took cremation. How normal it seems to us now.
Here in the UK I believe it is the lawyers who are taking ages to give it a framework.
The Mail has got the name of the ceo wrong. It’s Sandy Sullivan. Nice chap.