What Is Aquamation And Why Should Know About It
If you heard the term Aquamation and wondered what it is, you are not alone! This is a new form of cremation, also known as water cremation, that is gaining popularity slowly. The process is called alkaline hydrolysis where the body is submerged in a vat of solution which liquefies the body leaving only the bones. The process has been in place since 1995 and was used in scientific research facilities as the final disposition method for bodies donated to science. In 2007, it was approved as a pet funeral method, and in 2011, for humans. Florida was one of the first states to approve it for humans, so if you hear funeral directors in Hialeah, FL talking about it, don’t be surprised.
Now the question arises why it is becoming popular. Just like flame cremation, which rose in prominence as funeral costs in the USA increased and also because we became aware of the harmful impact of embalming and burials had on our environment. Similarly, now the focus is on flame cremation which is not totally pollution-free! Compared to flame cremation, no fossil fuel is used for aquamation and so it has 1/10th of carbon footprint. The end result of aquamation is sterile water and bones which are then crushed and returned to the mourning family as ashes. The water that is produced goes through wastewater treatment facilities just like any other funeral home doing their embalming process. But it has natural products compared to embalming which leaves behind toxic waste. As for cost, it is way less costly than a traditional burial.
The next thing you want to know is how to hold an aquamation funeral. First thing, unlike flame cremation, you can embalm the body if you wish to. All of the embalming fluids will be broken down during the process and won’t damage the environment. You also don’t need a casket as it is in case of burial or flame cremation. In fact, it won’t work if the body is placed in a casket or if it is wearing synthetic material clothes. If you want to dress your loved one, you have to use protein-based fabrics like silk, wool, or leather. So, people are generally wrapped in special biodegradable body bags while they are being cremated. As for the religious portion of a funeral, the family can hold a viewing before aquamation and a memorial service afterward. The bones that remain are crushed to ashes and returned to the family who can then complete the funeral in the way they like. Since the alkaline hydrolysis process is a sterilizing process that kills all kinds of pathogens, the remains of the body that undergoes aquamation are perfectly safe to handle.
Today, many people have implants and medical devices like pacemakers in their bodies. If they opt for cremation, the pacemakers have to remove it as the battery in them will burst during the cremation process. But with aquamation, you can keep the pacemakers inside the body as the temperature at which aquamation is done is much lower and batteries don’t react at that temperature. The metal implants which are very common as many Americans have artificial hips and knees, come back in non-salvageable condition when undergoing flame cremation. But in aquamation, the metals come out clean and sterilized and can be recycled into new materials. Why is this important? Because titanium, the metal most used in this kind of implant is one of the hardest to find and excavated after a steep environmental cost.
So, the next time you need to arrange a funeral, talk to funeral directors in Hialeah, FL, and talk about having an aquamation instead of cremation or a traditional funeral.
