Ultimate green burial, says funeral director

A typical cremation produces 200kg of greenhouse gases. Photo / Hawkes Bay Today

SYDNEY - Australians who perish the thought of ending up six feet under or incinerated will soon have a new option to contemplate - a watery grave.

A newly registered company based in Victoria is claiming to be the first in the world to offer the alternative of bodies being dissolved in scalding water.

Aquamation Industries hopes to appeal to people who want to eliminate the 200 or so kilograms of greenhouse gases associated with a typical cremation, which includes formaldehyde fumes associated with the embalming process.

"It's the ultimate 'green' burial," the company's principal John Humphries told NZPA.

"People have been very receptive to the idea of being farewelled like this, instead of being burnt in a crematorium.

"We have more than 20 units on order."

Each unit consists of a stainless-steel tube filled with potassium-enriched water. After the body is placed inside it is sealed, the water is heated to 93deg Celsius and swirled around for four hours.

This process - based on the method used to destroy the infectious remains of cattle with mad cow disease in Europe and the United States - breaks the body down to its constituent chemicals, leaving only "chalky white" bones and bone fragments.

These can be presented to the bereaved in an urn, like ashes.

Mr Humphries said another advantage to the process was that medical procedures like hip replacements could be reused, while funeral directors would not have to remove pacemakers - a requirement before a cremation due to the risk of explosion.

The funeral industry remains cautious about the new technology - a request by Aquamation Industries to join the Australasian Cemeteries and Crematoria Association was turned down earlier this year.

The first "aquamation" unit became operational on the Gold Coast today.

Mr Humphries said the cost of the process depended on the funeral director, but it should be similar to a standard cremation.

- NZPA