What Is Aquamation? Green Funeral Alternative

Aquamation (also called water cremation, resomation or alkaline hydrolysis) is a newer, “gentler” way of handling a body after death. Instead of fire, it uses warm water and a mild alkaline solution to speed up natural decomposition.

In practice, the body is placed in a sealed steel chamber with about 95% water and 5% potassium hydroxide (a common lye) and heated under pressure. Over a few hours, the soft tissues dissolve and the only remains are the bones. These bones are then dried or “cremated” into a fine white ash just as with a flame cremation.

Aquamation emerged in the 1990s (initially for animal remains) and later spread to human funeral care. It gained worldwide attention when Archbishop Desmond Tutu chose a water cremation for his funeral in 2022. Advocates describe aquamation as “gentler on the body and kinder on the environment” than conventional cremation.

Today aquamation appeals especially to eco-conscious families. The process is sometimes likened to burying a body in nature, only much faster and controlled. For most of the world, aquamation is legal but very new; for example, it’s permitted in the UK (subject to safety and environmental rules), and companies are actively planning to introduce it. UK researchers and funeral directors say it uses far less energy and creates fewer pollutants than ordinary cremation, making it a true green funeral alternative.

Aquamation is surprisingly straightforward. A body is first placed in a biodegradable shroud or coffin and put into a special stainless-steel tank (often called a “resomator”). Water and a small amount of alkali (about 5% potassium hydroxide, similar to common lye) fill the tank.

The chamber is then closed, pressurised, and heated to roughly 150–160 °C. These conditions (high heat and pressure) prevent boiling while breaking down the body’s cells.

1. Body into the chamber: The person’s body (wrapped in a wool or biodegradable cloth) is placed inside the sealed tank.

2. Fill with water and alkali: The chamber is filled with mostly water plus a caustic alkaline solution.

3. Heat and pressure: The tank is heated to about 150–160 °C and held under pressure for several hours (typically 3–4 hours, though some systems run longer).

4. Natural hydrolysis: The hot, alkaline water gently dissolves the body’s tissues. Soft organs and muscles break down into chemical components; only the hard minerals of bone remain.

5. Drain the liquid: The spent water is drained out. It is sterile (blood and cells have broken down) and is tested and treated before release. UK water companies have approved discharging it as “trade effluent” since no DNA or harmful waste remains.

6. Collect the ashes: Finally, any remaining bone pieces are removed, dried, and ground into a fine white ash. This ash (essentially calcium phosphate) is then returned to the family in an urn, just like conventional cremated remains. Any metal bits or implants (for example, pacemakers or fillings) are collected separately – they don’t dissolve – and can be returned to the family or recycled

Aquamation is often called an “eco cremation” because of its low environmental impact. First, it uses much less energy than a flame cremation. A UK-based technology firm reports that aquamation consumes roughly one-fifth the energy of a conventional gas cremator.

This big reduction means far fewer carbon emissions. For example, a typical flame cremation emits about 245 kg of CO₂; aquamation’s carbon footprint is estimated at roughly half that of a gas cremation.

• Far fewer emissions: Because there is no burning, aquamation produces no smoke, soot, or greenhouse gases the way flame cremation does. In fact, the potassium hydroxide solution prevents mercury (from dental fillings) and other toxins from venting into the air. One funeral director notes that “nothing goes up the stack” in a water cremation.

• No toxic waste: Unlike burial, no embalming fluids (like formaldehyde) are ever used, so there is no risk of chemicals leaching into soil or groundwater. And the drained liquid from aquamation is tested safe by water authorities (as noted above) before it is returned to the sewer or river system.

• Reduced resource use: Aquamation often does not need a traditional coffin or casket (especially in fully green ceremonies). Even if a container is used, it can be simple, biodegradable, and far smaller. Plus, pacemakers or metal implants aren’t burned away – they can be removed afterward, with the metals recycled, rather than polluting the air.

• Lesser land impact: Because aquamation yields just ashes, no grave plot is needed. This saves cemetery land and maintenance. With burial space increasingly scarce (especially around cities), using aquamation or cremation frees land for other uses.

Independent studies support these points. UK research has found aquamation’s overall environmental impact (including energy, materials, and land use) to be lower than any mainstream disposal option. In short, families seeking a truly green funeral can see aquamation as an eco cremation method that markedly shrinks the carbon footprint and toxic emissions of saying goodbye.

Aquamation also offers clear advantages over a standard burial. Burial generally requires a plot of land and often embalming the body to preserve it. In contrast, aquamation uses no cemetery space at all. There is no digging, no long-term grave maintenance, and (unless you choose to inter the ashes) nothing remains permanently in the ground.

In burial, a body is typically embalmed with formaldehyde-based fluids, which can leach into soil over time. Aquamation skips all that – there are no embalming chemicals, so no risk of soil contamination. In fact, many water cremation services forgo a coffin entirely (using only a simple shroud or cardboard container) to keep the process natural. This means even fewer materials are used.

The bottom line: an aquamation funeral can follow many of the same traditions of a burial service (flowers, ceremony, even wearing of special garments), but without using land or heavy preservatives. Families end up with ashes to scatter, bury, or keep, rather than a body in a grave. Because less is physically left behind, aquamation is often seen as a more space- and resource-efficient choice than a conventional burial.

Currently no UK funeral site regularly offers aquamation, but that is starting to change. Legally, water cremation is allowed in the UK, since it’s considered a method of disposal. However, it falls outside the old Cremation Act 1902, which only covered flame cremation. In practical terms this means there is no clear regulation yet for aquamation in England and Wales. Companies can only operate it by running careful trials and following environmental and safety laws. In fact, limited UK trials have already taken place: for example, Yorkshire Water approved a test run after finding no risk in the waste solution.

In mid-2023, Co-op Funeralcare (the UK’s largest funeral firm) announced plans to offer aquamation but then held off until regulations caught up. Recently the government’s Law Commission opened a review (2024–26) to update funeral law. The consultation specifically includes water cremation (alkaline hydrolysis) and human composting as new options. A draft bill is expected in 2025–26 to legally authorise these methods if it proceeds.

Scotland is moving faster: a working group of Scottish funeral directors and environment experts is advising on legal changes. They expect amendments to the Scottish Burial and Cremation Act by 2026, after which a facility could be built within a year. (One Scottish funeral firm has even built the first UK aquamation unit in anticipation.) In England there is still no legal framework, so that first unit will sit idle until lawmakers act.

Industry sources remain optimistic. Resomation Ltd (a UK company that makes the machines) and partner firm Kindly Earth have announced intentions to launch water cremations in England by late 2025. In Wales and Northern Ireland the process is also expected to become available once regulations are in place. Overall, experts say it’s only a matter of time before “water cremations” become an approved option at UK funeral homes and crematoria.

In most ways, an aquamation funeral feels very much like a cremation. The family can hold a full service in a chapel or church with the body present (usually in a simple shroud or biodegradable coffin). After the ceremony, the body is respectfully placed into the water cremation machine. One UK funeral planner notes, “As usual when planning a funeral, the green cremation comes after the funeral or life celebration… Afterwards, the person is placed in a natural wool coffin and into a Resomation chamber”.

When the process is complete, the only remains are a white, sterile ash. Loved ones receive these ashes in an urn, just as they would after a flame cremation. Often the volume of ash is slightly larger (the water process leaves all the bone minerals behind), so families may use a bigger urn or scatter remains more easily. These ashes can be scattered, interred, or kept in exactly the same ways as regular cremated remains. 

Because nothing is burned or charred, the ritual of saying goodbye is gentle. Coffins (if used) are made of natural materials, and there is no roaring furnace. Many families appreciate that the “ashes” are just bone mineral – in a scientific sense, they are like the crushed bone from any cremation. Any metal or implants are simply removed after the process: they don’t explode or pollute the air. In short, aquamation allows a traditional-style funeral with flowers and music, followed by a clean eco-friendly disposal, and ending with ashes in hand.

It’s natural to have questions about this new method. One common concern is water safety. During aquamation, the tank liquid never mixes with drinking water – it’s handled by professionals. UK trials have shown the drained fluid is harmless: for example, a 2020 test in Yorkshire found no DNA or dangerous chemicals in the final effluent. Northumbrian and Yorkshire water authorities have both approved releasing the neutralised solution into sewers, since it poses no threat to treatment systems. In short, the used water is effectively treated and returned safely to the environment.

Another worry is how people feel about the idea. Surveys suggest that once it’s explained, many find aquamation a perfectly acceptable choice. One UK poll found about 29% of people would choose water cremation for themselves if it were offered. Advocates stress that aquamation is a respectful, dignified option – not a grim process. As one innovator puts it, using water to return the body to earth is not disrespectful but rather “a dignified and respectful” approach. Archbishop Tutu’s support is often mentioned as an example of its acceptance in religious and cultural contexts.

Of course, aquamation will take time to become familiar. Funeral customs are deeply personal, and some families may stick with what they know. However, aquamation lets people combine ceremony with conscience. You still hold the funeral service in the usual way, and still have ashes to scatter or bury afterward. The only difference is how the body is reduced to ash under the surface. As more people learn about it and see its low environmental impact, we expect its acceptance to grow – just as cremation itself became widely accepted over the past century.

Aquamation is just one of several green funeral choices rising in the UK. Families interested in eco-friendly burials can also consider woodland (natural) burial sites, returning the body to earth without embalming, or using biodegradable coffins. There are growing number of “natural burial” providers and conservation burial grounds across Britain.

For those curious about aquamation or other sustainable disposals, it’s worth exploring our articles on green funeral options.

Whether it’s scattering ashes in a wild meadow, planting a tree as a memorial, or choosing flame-free cremation, our directory lists services committed to the environment. 

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