Aquamations are officially coming to Britain, as Co-op Funeralcare has confirmed that it will offer the service later this year.
Also known as water cremations, the process involves rapidly decomposing a corpse in a stream of water and alkaline chemicals – leaving only liquid and bones.
It offers an eco-conscious alternative to burials and cremations, which burn lots of fuel and emit greenhouse gases.
Following the news, several excited Britons have taken to Twitter to express their delight, with many saying ‘sign me up’.
‘If water cremation is better for the environment then sign me up,’ one user wrote.
Aquamations are officially coming to Britain, as Co-op Funeralcare has confirmed that it will offer the service later this year
It offers an eco-conscious alternative to burials and cremations, which burn lots of fuel and emit greenhouse gases. Pictured: a Resomation Ltd resomator
Aquamation is said to cut the amount of harmful carbon dioxide by up to 90 per cent, compared with a standard cremation.
The process involves heating the body in a mixture of potassium hydroxide and water for up to 90 minutes leaving only the bones.
These are then rinsed in the solution at 120C (248F), dried and pulverised into ashes.
Those remains are given to the family to keep or scatter.
Meanwhile, the waste water from the process is disposed of into the sewage system or used to fertilise plants.
Water cremations are already available in some US and Canadian states and parts of the Netherlands, Australia, Mexico and South Africa.
Now, Co-op Funeralcare has announced plans to offer water cremations in Britain later this year.
In response to the news, one user tweeted: ‘FINALLY! This is what I want.
‘Sign me up.’
One person tweeted: ‘100% – would definitely choose this for myself and for my family members if it were available’
In response to the news, one user tweeted: ‘FINALLY! This is what I want. Sign me up’
Another added: ‘If it’s more sustainable & affordable I think I’m perfectly content to have a water cremation.
‘Might adjust my funeral plans.’
While one tweeted: ‘100% – would definitely choose this for myself and for my family members if it were available.’
And one wrote: ‘The new water cremation doesn’t phase me at all.
‘I don’t want to be buried and never have.
‘If water cremation is better for the environment then sign me up.’
However, not everyone is so convinced.
One user tweeted: ‘Sounds horrendous, more eco insanity,’ while another called it ‘totally unacceptable.’
The introduction of aquamation in Britain will mark the first time an alternative to burial or cremation will be available since the Cremation Act in 1902.
A poll for Co-op Funeralcare found 89 per cent of adults had not heard of resomation but once explained, a third said they would choose it for their funeral.
Professor Douglas Davies, a death rites expert at Durham University, said: ‘The reduced carbon footprint that may come with resomation means it will be of interest to many people.’
Another added: ‘If it’s more sustainable & affordable I think I’m perfectly content to have a water cremation. Might adjust my funeral plans’
One wrote: ‘The new water cremation doesn’t phase me at all. I don’t want to be buried and never have. If water cremation is better for the environment then sign me up’
According to the Atlantic, aquamation has about one-tenth of the environmental impact of flame cremation, which requires a lot of fuel.
A cremation is bad for the environment because it releases large amounts of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the air.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the average cremation produces about 535 pounds of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent to driving a car about 600 miles.
Another traditional option is a burial, but the problem with this is the vessel containing the body often takes years to decompose in the soil if it’s made of metal or plastic.
Even if the vessel is compostable, such as a pine box, the decomposing corpse doesn’t usually have a healthy impact on the soil and can often stop grass and plants growing properly.
While the cost for aquamations remains unclear, Funeral Guide claims that it will be around the same prices as a traditional cremation.
‘It’s anticipated that an eco-friendly cremation will be priced around the same that’s charged for a traditional flame cremation,’ it explains on its website.
‘These costs can vary at crematoria around the UK – and the fee is usually included as part of the total funeral bill.’
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