5.3 Alternative Dispositions

Alternative Dispositions

As consumer preferences evolve and environmental awareness increases, funeral service professionals must master alternative methods of final disposition. The NBE evaluates candidates on their technical and chemical knowledge of Alkaline Hydrolysis (aquamation) and the strict operational requirements of green (natural) burials.

Alkaline Hydrolysis: The Chemical and Physical Process

Alkaline Hydrolysis — also marketed as aquamation, resomation, or biocremation — is a water-based dissolution process that accelerates the natural decomposition of organic tissue.

The Chemical Reaction

The process relies on alkaline dissolution (hydrolysis). The deceased is placed in a stainless-steel pressure vessel. The chamber is filled with a solution of approximately 95% water and 5% alkali chemicals, specifically Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) and/or Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH).

The vessel is sealed, heated, and pressurized:

• Temperature Standards: The solution is typically heated to 300°F (150°C) in high-pressure systems, or around 200°F (93°C) in low-pressure atmospheric systems.
• Pressure: In high-pressure systems, the vessel is pressurized to prevent the water from boiling, allowing the chemical reaction to occur rapidly.
• Duration: The process takes between 3 to 16 hours depending on the temperature and equipment type.

Under these conditions, the strong base breaks down the peptide bonds in proteins, fats, and nucleic acids. The soft tissues are completely dissolved, leaving behind a sterile liquid and clean bone fragments (calcium phosphate).

Processing the Remains

• Liquid Byproduct: The resulting liquid is a sterile, green-brown solution containing amino acids, peptides, sugars, soaps, and salts. It contains no DNA. It is typically released into the municipal wastewater system (complying with local pH and temperature standards) or repurposed as an organic fertilizer.
• Bone Fragments: The clean bone fragments are rinsed, dried in a specialized cabinet, and then pulverized in a standard crematory processor. The resulting powder is white or off-white and represents about 20-30% more volume than flame cremation remains because there is no soot or carbon residue.

Environmental Benefits

• Carbon Footprint: Alkaline hydrolysis reduces greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 75-90% compared to flame cremation.
• Energy Conservation: The process uses up to 90% less energy than flame cremation because it does not require heating a refractory chamber to extremely high temperatures.
• Mercury Emissions: Dental amalgam fillings do not vaporize (as they do in flame cremation, releasing toxic mercury gas into the atmosphere). Instead, they remain intact at the bottom of the vessel and are recovered safely for recycling.

Green (Natural) Burials: Philosophy and Requirements

Green burial is a set of practices designed to return the human body to the earth with minimal environmental impact, facilitating natural decomposition and land conservation.

Casket and Shroud Requirements

Traditional caskets constructed of steel, copper, or rare hardwoods with synthetic linings and metal hardware are strictly prohibited in green cemeteries.

• Biodegradable Containers: Remains must be placed in containers made from sustainably harvested, natural materials that decompose rapidly. Acceptable options include woven wicker, bamboo, seagrass, raw pine, cardboard, or simple fabric shrouds made of organic cotton, linen, or wool.
• Fasteners: Any fasteners, handles, or linings must also be biodegradable. Glue must be water-based and non-toxic.

Prohibition of Chemical Embalming

• Toxic Chemical Bans: Standard formaldehyde-based embalming fluids are prohibited because formaldehyde is a known carcinogen that can leach into groundwater and kill soil microbes necessary for decomposition.
• Eco-Friendly Embalming: If embalming is required (for public viewing or transport), funeral directors must use specialized non-toxic, biodegradable sanitizing fluids formulated from essential oils (such as eucalyptus, clove, or lavender) and plant-based alcohols.
• Refrigeration/Dry Ice: In most green burials, chemical preservation is avoided entirely. The body is kept in cool storage or surrounded by dry ice until the time of burial.

Outer Burial Container Bans

• No Vaults or Liners: Concrete vaults, grave liners, and metal vault lids are prohibited. The casket or shroud must be placed in direct contact with the soil. This allows soil microbes, insects, and moisture to reach the body, promoting natural decomposition.
• Grave Settling: Because there is no vault to support the weight of the earth, the grave will naturally sink or settle over time. Cemeteries manage this by mounding excavated soil over the grave during backfilling, allowing it to settle level with the surrounding terrain as decomposition progresses.

Cemetery Conservation and Memorialization

Green cemeteries are classified into three types by the Green Burial Council (GBC):

1. Hybrid Cemeteries: Conventional cemeteries that designate a specific section for natural burials, prohibiting vaults and toxic embalming in that area.
2. Natural Cemeteries: Cemeteries dedicated exclusively to green burial, employing sustainable land management practices.
3. Conservation Cemeteries: Natural cemeteries partnered with a land trust to permanently preserve and restore native ecosystems and wildlife habitats.

Memorialization in green cemeteries differs significantly from traditional upright granite headstones:

• Natural Markers: Flat, unpolished local river stones or wooden plaques are used, or graves are left unmarked, with location recorded using GPS coordinates.
• Native Vegetation: Native wildflowers, shrubs, or trees may be planted on the grave instead of a headstone.