“BOIL in a bag” funerals could be set to become available in the UK – as controversial method criticised as disrespectful.
The alternative method, which is already available in other countries, works to dissolve bodies and flush them down the drain.
A consultation by the Law Commission is currently in progress, which might introduce an unconventional approach to funerals, potentially replacing traditional ground burials and flame-based cremations.
There is currently no regulatory framework on the practice, meaning it is effectively banned in the UK – but the consultation could see this change.
Advocates that support so-called water cremation or alkaline hydrolysis, claim that it is better for the environment.
Skeptics that are opposed to the technique believe that it is a disrespectful way to treat the dead.
Water cremation consists of using water and alkaline chemicals at a high temperature to rapidly decompose a corpse.
The body is loaded into a pressure vessel containing the corrosive liquid, and is heated to around 160 degrees Celsius.
This leaves liquid, known as ‘effluent’ which can be poured down the drain with other wastewater.
It doesn’t contain any tissue or DNA, and is described as a brown colour resembling “tea or an ale”.
The remaining bones can then be ground to ash for the bereaved loved ones to take home.
These can then be scattered or kept in a similar way to traditional ashes from a flame-based cremation.
Any metal hip and knee joints remain intact.
One funeral home in Minnesota paid $750,000 (£580,000) to install the approximately six foot by four foot chamber a decade ago.
It is a relatively easy process for undertakers who just push a few buttons to get the chamber to start filling with water.
Despite having been patented in 1888, the process is yet to reach mainstream use.
While some see the process as mirroring the baptism at the start of life, others view it as disrespectful.
Critics have argued that it could be seen as a kind of desecration of the body, the majority of which is disposed as wastewater.
Dr. Lian Lundy, a wastewater expert from Middlesex University, commented to The Telegraph: “Some people perceive it as essentially combining my loved one with sewage in the system, which they find unpleasant.
“However, numerous substances are directed into the sewer that we tend not to consider – including waste from morgues and medical facilities. From that standpoint, it’s not particularly different from what already occurs.”
Co-op Funeralcare previously promised to offer the service in 2023 – but plans were delayed as they couldn’t get through the regulatory framework.
It is already available in nearly 30 states, in Canada, South Africa, and in Ireland – which became the first in Europe when it opened a facility in early 2023.
Estimates suggest that the cost of water cremation will be similar to flame-based cremation, typically costing $1,500 to $5,000 in states where it is already legal.
It could also provide a more environmentally-alternative to traditional methods.
Flame-based cremation releases around 535 pounds of carbon dioxide in to the air while burials can pollute the surrounding soil.
