On January 8, 2022, the body of Nobel Peace Prize winning Anglican archbishop Desmond Tutu underwent aquamation in Cape Town. Aquamation is a green alternative to traditional cremation methods.

What is aquamation?

• Aquamation, also called as alkaline hydrolysis, is a process in which the dead body is immersed in a mixture of water and a strong alkali in pressurized metal cylinder, for a few hours. It is then heated to about 150 degrees centigrade.
• Combination of gentle water flow, alkalinity and temperature accentuate the breakdown of organic materials.
• As per Cremation Association of North America (CANA), alkaline hydrolysis is a “flameless cremation”.
• This process is considered as an environment friendly way of disposing of a body.
• It is also dubbed as water cremation, green cremation or chemical cremation.

What is left behind the water cremation?

The process of water cremation leaves behind bone fragments and neutral liquid called effluent. Decomposition through this process is similar to what happens during burial, just sped up dramatically by using chemicals. The effluent is sterile, and it comprises of amino acids, salts, sugars, and peptides. No tissue and DNA is left after this process. The neutral liquid is discharged with all other wastewater and it can be added to the water systems.

When was this process developed?

Amos Herbert Hanson had developed and patented this process in 1888. He was a farmer who was trying to develop an ingenious way of making fertilizer from animal carcasses. However, the first commercial system was installed in 1993 at Albany Medical College. After that, this process continued to be in use by hospitals and universities. In 2011, this process was used in funeral industry in Ohio and Florida.

Significance of Aquamation

Aquamation uses five times less energy than fire. It reduces the amount of greenhouse gases by about 35%, as compared to other way of cremation.