Scotland became the first UK country to
legalise water cremation
¨
Scotland became the first
UK country to legalise water cremation.
¨
Water cremation has been
made legal in Scotland, making it the first country in the United Kingdom to
permit this alternative method of body disposal.
¨ The process, known as
alkaline hydrolysis, has been introduced as a third option for families in
addition to traditional burial and flame cremation.
¨
Under the procedure,
bodies are wrapped in biodegradable materials such as silk or wool and placed
in a pressurised chamber containing hot water and chemicals.
¨
The technique accelerates
natural decomposition, after which the remaining bones are processed and
returned to relatives as powdered remains in an urn.
¨
The process involves
heating the body to around 150°C in a mixture of potassium hydroxide and water
for approximately 90 minutes.
¨
After dissolution of body
tissues, the remaining bones are rinsed at high temperature, dried and
pulverised using a machine called a cremulator.
¨
Water cremation is
considered an environmentally friendly method and is often referred to as a
“green cremation.”
¨ Studies have shown that the process produces around seven times less carbon dioxide emissions compared to conventional cremation, which typically releases about 320 kg of CO₂.
¨ The method has already been adopted in several countries including the United States and the Republic of Ireland, indicating its growing global acceptance.
