What is Aquamation and How Does It Work?

When the anti-apartheid hero Archbishop Desmond Tutu died, his choice of aquamation stirred interest in the practice. But just what is aquamation? The process, also known as alkaline hydrolysis or water cremation, uses liquid chemicals instead of flame for what some say is a “greener” cremation.

We’ll explain how it works and how it differs from the standard flame cremation most are familiar with.

How Aquamation Works

With aquamation, a body is placed in a vessel filled with a mixture of water and potassium hydroxide and heated to over 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

This allows the body to break down into its chemical components in about four to six hours or more, depending on several factors. What is left behind is a liquid and a solid: a green fluid and solid white bone remains, similar to “ashes” left after flame cremation. The liquid is sterile and made up of salts and amino acids. It can be released into the sewage system or used for fertilizer because of its potassium and sodium content. The bone fragments are dried and pulverized into a smaller powder, similar to traditional cremation.

The process will produce about thirty percent more bone fragments or “cremains” than a flame cremation, so a larger urn may be necessary, according to the Cremation Association of North America (CANA). In flame cremation, cremated remains are about the size of a five-pound bag of sugar for a 200-pound man. The average standard urn holds 200 cubic inches of material.

A ‘Greener’ Cremation

Some argue that aquamation is a “greener,” more environmentally friendly choice than flame cremation because it uses less energy and produces less carbon dioxide and other pollutants. Wastewater from the process can be released safely into city systems and is not considered toxic.

For some, the practice seems more “gentle” and is more acceptable to those who fear fire.

Still a Fraction of All Cremations

However, according to the Nolo website, the practice is not yet widely accepted and only explicitly legal in less than half of the states. Even states where it is legal, it is not always easy to find a funeral home that uses aquamation. Though patented in 1888, it was not until 2011 that the funeral industry in the United States (one in Ohio and one in Florida) offered the service. Some religious leaders have spoken out against the practice and worked against legalizing it in many states. They have argued that the disposal of the liquid is not a respectful practice and not in keeping with their religious funeral customs.

According to Time, though it is often used for pets, liquid cremation represents only a small fraction of the cremations in North America. Only about 40 facilities offer it and in 2020, out of 1.8 million cremations, only .01 percent used alkaline hydrolysis, according to CANA.

Differences From Flame Process

There are a few differences in the process and results of aquamation compared to flame cremation. The “cremains” are a slightly different color and consistency. In flame cremation, the remains are normally gray with a consistency of sand. With aquamation, the resulting “ashes” are white powder.

Also, according to planning site Cake, aquamation does not require pacemakers to be removed and does not require a cremation “casket.”

Expected to Grow

Industry experts point out that the funeral industry can be slow to adopt new practices, but expect that wider acceptance of aquamation is ahead. In surveys by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), more than half of consumers say they’d like to explore “greener” options.

However, for now, aquamation is a more expensive and less available option depending on where you live. No matter which option you choose, think about your own personalized funeral, share your plans with loved ones, and work with the right funeral provider to handle your arrangements when you are gone. Using the Afterall search feature, you can filter for locations that offer aquamation and find out if there's one near you.