Alkaline Hydrolysis

A Gentle Alternative to Traditional Cremation

More and more families are looking for greener ways to care for their loved ones at the end of their lives as they become more aware of how their actions affect the environment. Alkaline hydrolysis, which is also called aquamation, water cremation, bio-cremation, or flameless cremation, is one of the biggest improvements in funeral service technology. We at Schlitzer Allen Pugh Funeral Home believe in keeping our families up to date on all of their options, including new ones that may fit with their values and wishes. Alkaline hydrolysis is a gentle, water-based method that works like traditional cremation but has a much smaller effect on the environment. As this choice becomes more popular in the United States, we promise to give you accurate information to help you make smart choices about planning for the end of your life.


What Is Alkaline Hydrolysis?

Alkaline hydrolysis is a process that uses water flow, temperature, pressure, and alkalinity to speed up the natural decomposition that happens when a body is buried in the ground. Instead of using fire, this method gently breaks down the body into its basic parts by using a solution that is about 95% water and 5% alkali (potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide).


 During the process, the body is put in a stainless steel container that is full of the alkaline solution. Under high pressure, the mixture is heated to between 200 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In four to six hours at higher temperatures or 14 to 16 hours at lower temperatures, the body's organic matter breaks down into its chemical parts. The only things left are pieces of bone and a sterile liquid solution.


 After that, the bone pieces are dried and ground into a fine, white powder that looks like the ashes left over from traditional flame cremation. Alkaline hydrolysis usually produces about 30% more remains than flame-based cremation, which some families find meaningful. The family can keep these remains, put them in an urn, scatter them, or bury them, just like they would with regular cremated remains.


How Does Alkaline Hydrolysis Differ from Traditional Cremation?

There are big differences between alkaline hydrolysis and traditional flame cremation, even though both methods leave behind remains that can be handled in the same way.


  • Temperature and Method - Using natural gas flames, traditional cremation heats the body to more than 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit. Alkaline hydrolysis works at much lower temperatures, usually between 200 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and uses water and alkaline chemicals. Many families feel better knowing that this gentler method is more like natural decomposition than burning.
  • Time Required - It usually takes two to three hours for a traditional flame cremation to be done. Alkaline hydrolysis takes longer, usually between four and sixteen hours, depending on the temperature and pressure settings. The longer time frame shows that the process is less harsh.
  • Environmental Impact - This is where alkaline hydrolysis really shines. Burning natural gas for traditional cremation takes a lot of energy and releases carbon emissions, mercury from dental amalgams, and other pollutants into the air. Alkaline hydrolysis uses about a quarter of the energy that flame cremation does and doesn't release any emissions directly. The process captures carbon instead of letting it go, and it keeps the mercury from dental work so it can be recycled instead of vaporized.
  • Remains Returned to Family - Both methods break down bones into small pieces that are then ground into a fine powder for the family. But alkaline hydrolysis usually leaves behind about 30% more remains because it is a gentler process. The remains from alkaline hydrolysis are usually whiter than those from flame cremation.


Environmental Benefits of Alkaline Hydrolysis

For families who care about the environment, alkaline hydrolysis has many benefits over both traditional burial and flame cremation.


  • Reduced Energy Consumption - Alkaline hydrolysis uses about 90% less energy than traditional flame cremation. Flame cremation needs high temperatures that are kept up by natural gas, while water cremation works at much lower temperatures and relies more on chemical reactions than burning.
  • Zero Atmospheric Emissions - Alkaline hydrolysis doesn't release any pollutants into the air, unlike flame cremation, which does. Instead of being released as a greenhouse gas, the carbon from the body is trapped in the water solution.
  • Mercury Retention - Mercury is in dental amalgam fillings, and it is released into the air when people are cremated in the traditional way. Alkaline hydrolysis keeps mercury in a solid state, which makes it safe to collect and recycle instead of letting it spread into the environment.
  • Sterile, Safe Byproducts - After alkaline hydrolysis, the liquid solution is completely sterile and has no DNA or germs in it. It has amino acids, sugars, salts, and soap-like substances in it, which are the same basic parts that come from natural decomposition. Like how funeral homes currently handle fluids from the embalming process, this solution can be safely processed through regular wastewater treatment systems.