How does alkaline hydrolysis work

Heavenly Paws in Peachtree Corners, outside of Atlanta, offers water cremation services , which is a natural alternative to traditional flame-based cremations. But what is water cremation? How does the alkaline hydrolysis process work? Keep reading to learn more, and contact our office today. While the process can be used for both humans and pets, it is generally more common to be used for dogs and cats. In some cases, the body will be placed in a sealed bag, which then goes into the chamber.

The combination of the pressure and chemicals work to accelerate the decomposition of the body by breaking down the chemical bonds in the body. This process is called hydrolysis, and heat is used to speed up the process. AH was originally developed in Europe in the s as a method of disposing of cows infected with mad cow disease. In England, AH for humans is not fully legalized yet.

Darcy on the end. Photo courtesy of The Observer. But why would someone want to do what amounts to liquifying the body with lye instead of traditional cremation? Some people worry about the carbon footprint left behind by traditional cremation. AH is supposed to remove that problem. In the traditional process that uses fire, cremating one corpse requires two to three hours and more than 1, degrees of heat. In many cases, dental compounds such as fillings also go up in smoke, sending mercury vapors into the air unless the crematorium has a chimney filter.

During AH, a body is placed in a steel chamber along with a mixture of water and potassium hydroxide. Air pressure inside the vessel is increased to about pounds per square inch, and the temperature is raised to about F. After two to three hours, the corpse is reduced to bones that are then crushed into a fine, white powder.

That dust can be scattered by families or placed in an urn. Dental fillings are separated out for safe disposal. Anthony A. Lombardi, division manager for Matthews Cremation, demonstrates a bio-cremation AH machine. AH is purported to use about one-seventh of the energy required for traditional cremation.

Once inside the resomator the body starts to break down. Under the high pressure, high temperature system HPHT , this process typically takes about three hours. Under the no pressure, low temperature process NPLT , breaking down the body typically takes hours.

When the process is complete, the only thing that is left is liquid and bones. Today alkaline hydrolysis is an approved form of human disposition in 19 states. The most resounding argument for Alkaline hydrolysis is that it is better for the environment than cremation. Cremation , the process of burning the body to turn it into ash, gives off large quantities of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases which are harmful to the environment.

From a spacial standpoint, alkaline hydrolysis eliminates the need for a casket and ground burial, thereby eliminating the need for additional cemetery space and the materials used for the casket and burial vault or liner. From a cost standpoint, the process appears to be priced around the same amount as s direct cremation. However, since this is still a new product and there are not many funeral homes offering it as an option, we will likely see changes to the way it is marketed and priced for your average funeral consumer.

Another advantage to this new disposition method is choice. Previously, people only had two choices when dealing with loved ones: bury or cremate. With the emergence of alkaline hydrolysis we may have a cost effective and greener alternative to cremation and require less space than a burial. Whichever means of disposition you choose, be informed!