Resomation to be offered in the UK

Resomation, also known as water cremation, is poised to debut in the UK, presenting a new, more eco-friendly method of body disposal. This innovative process utilises a combination of water and potassium hydroxide to reduce human remains, offering an environmentally sound alternative. A period of four hours is required for this procedure, during which only the bones are left intact. These are then pulverised and handed back to the bereaved, akin to the return of ashes, traditionally kept in an urn.

 

Countries such as Canada, South Africa, and numerous US states are already availing themselves of resomation. The initiation of this alternative body disposal method in the UK marks the first departure from conventional means since the Cremation Act’s inception in 1902. Co-op Funeralcare will be the pioneer, announcing plans to provide this service later this year.

 

Resomation, the British firm equipping this transformation, asserts that the procedure generates one-third fewer greenhouse emissions than traditional cremation and consumes just one-seventh of the energy. The company’s founder, Sandy Sullivan, affirms that the liquid byproduct from resomation is discharged safely into the water cycle, devoid of any DNA remnants.

 

Late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, an anti-apartheid champion, selected this procedure for his last rites in South Africa in 2021. According to Gill Stewart, Co-op Funeralcare’s Managing Director, cemetery space is becoming increasingly scarce. She believes that the adoption of resomation could support the sector’s carbon reduction ambitions and address the issue of accommodating a burgeoning population.

 

The funeral service provider forecasts that the cost of resomation will align with that of standard cremation. It is also worth noting that the service will be available initially in certain undisclosed locations, with future plans to extend the service throughout the UK, as announced by the funeral chain.